Lover Come Back
by EmilyStark
Summary: On a drunken trip to Los Angeles, Damon and Elena make a huge mistake. They tie the knot. The pair head back to Mystic Falls, glares being exchanged. But soon enough, she is left with the biggest news of her life. She's about to head down the road to parenthood, with Damon wandering somewhere back in the distance.
1. Introduction

**A/N: Here's a new story for all those who loved the last story, 'Puzzled Hearts'. This has a new twist; it may be a common one, but trust me, it is nothing like the other stories. This is inspired by the 1961 film, 'Lover Come Back'. Here's the introduction.**

White against olive contrasted against the cream-colored sheets draped across the figures' bodies, laced together by their legs. Slowly, the ruffled, raven-haired figure lifted his head up, the definite pounding in his head resulting in his hands shooting to his temples to rub deep circles, trying to alleviate the pain. The ocean blue orbs of the masqueraded man darted across the room. The walls were a deep purple, the poorly copied paintings strewn on the wall were hanging by a thread, the ceiling was painted over with layers of the equally-deep purple as the walls. It was at this time that he realized that his lower half of his body was presenting to the world. He barely even made a meager attempt to cover himself, for he was far too used to this situation. Now, the missing puzzle piece was to find out who was lightly whimpering beside him. At the sound of life beside him, he snapped his head down, fully expecting to be greeted by blonde hair.

It didn't come as a surprise when his eyes found a brunette, face down on the pillow, body half-covered by the sheets.

Shrugging his shoulders, he flung his legs over the side of the four-post bed and used his speed to gather his clothing. The buttons on his black shirt were mostly missing, now strewn across the floor from the previous night's activities. His jeans had rips all along the side of the seams, leaving the remnants of his once black jeans.

"Must've been one hell of a night." He whispered with a smirk evident on his angel-crafted face. His fingers wrapped around the knob of the door, trying to time when to open it without awaking the sleeping figure lying on the bed.

Just as his eyes came into contact with his hand on the knob, he froze. His hand shifted to his eyes, as if he had to see for himself that what he saw was, in fact, there.

Sure enough, there it was. The gold band, placed on the ring finger of his left hand was shining in the pale sunlight that was beginning to pour into the room. He tilted his head to the side, not sure if he was dreaming, imagining this.

_This can't be happening. _

He shook his head, "Hell, no," His eyes locked on the ring again, "No. Not happening."

The light whimpering grew stronger as the brunette that was once fast asleep on the bed began to crack her eyes open.

"I had the craziest dream, Stefan." The brunette purred as she stretched her arms high into the air.

That voice, that one sentence, caused him to freeze. Unable to form any words, he could only stay completely still, hand back on the door handle.

The woman froze as she realized her surroundings to not be her home.

"Hello?" She called out, frightened beyond comprehension. Immediately, the light breeze coming from the cracked window sent shivers down her spine. Her eyes darted down to her naked body, the worst possible scenarios popping up into her mind.

_Oh. My. God. Was I raped?_

She voiced her thoughts as she whispered, "I was raped." A gasp escaped her lips as she wrapped the sheets around her body.

The raven-haired man sighed, knowing that he had to speak. The woman gasped once more when she saw a darkened figure begin to step towards the bed.

"I didn't rape you." His face was spotlighted by the rays of sunlight pouring in through the windows.

She gasped again, wrapping the sheets more forcefully around her body, "Damon?"

Damon sighed once more, "Yes, Elena."

The silent tears slid down her cheeks, "What did you do to me?"

The pain shot across his face.

_She thinks I hurt her._

"Elena," He sat down on the corner of the bed, giving her just enough room to feel somewhat comfortable, "I didn't do anything to you, at least I don't think," He saw the confusion pass over her face, "Do you remember anything from last night?"

She shook her head, "No. I don't remember coming here, wherever _here_ is."

Damon frowned, he couldn't remember anything either. He walked over towards the nightstand where a pamphlet was neatly placed. Lifting it up, he read, "SLS Hotel. Los Angeles, California." Even with the situation he was currently in, he couldn't help but smirk at his choice.

The gasp escaped her lips once more as she placed her hand across her mouth, "California?" Her muffled voice asked.

Damon nodded before placing the pamphlet back on the nightstand, "That's not even the worst part."

_Or best part in my case._

She tilted her head, eyes brimming with unshed tears.  
>He bit his lip before choking out, "We got married." He lifted his hand up to show her the golden band on his left hand.<p>

Her eyes grew wide before she lifted her left hand to see if he was pulling her leg. And sure enough, there was the wedding ring, placed on her ring finger. She let out a shattering scream that must have awakened all of Los Angeles.

**A/N: I will give you guys 3 hints: Annulment, return, positive. **

**Think very hard for the last hint because soon enough, someone will be heading out to buy some small clothing. * wink ***

**Remember to review! **


	2. Married Life

**A/N: Thank you to everyone that reviewed; itsCaroline, jo, livelaughlove143, KahlanDarcy, kaybaby1127, and especially to bluestriker666 (for your continuous reviews on 'Puzzled Hearts' and here). You guys are my inspiration to keep writing. If you are following 'Puzzled Hearts', just know that I will not be updating today, sorry. **

**And now, I proudly present chapter one of 'Lover Come Back'. *smiles***

The crooked smile of the pale moon far off in the pink sky began to slowly fade. The early birds chirped in the desert-like temperatures, while the lizards sprinted across the sandy ground, their feet moving at inhuman speeds. Slithering snakes head full throttle onward, their forked tongues hissing out to taste the molecules in the surrounding humid air.

Meanwhile, in a Victorian-styled hotel, with a pristine, green sign with the name 'SLS Hotel' printed, the glossy finish glimmering in the pale sunlight shining over the rims of the hilltops, Elena Gilbert… err Elena Salvatore was still screaming, eyes wide, her left hand pressed firmly against her mouth in disbelief.

"No." She whispered, hoarsely. Damon's hands were rubbing his temples after receiving a headache from the eardrum-shattering screams that escaped Elena's thinly-lined lips.

He glanced up, eyes softened, baring his soul, "Elena, this comes just as much as a shock to me as it does to you." He looked down to the ground as he inwardly smiled, trying desperately to hide it. Apparently not quick enough as Elena gripped the round, metallic-colored pillow that was behind her back and forcefully threw it at his head.

"This is not the time to be smiling, Damon!" It came out as a yelp more than a scream; this resulted in Damon snapping his hand up to catch the pillow just before it smacked him square in the jaw. His eyes glanced up to her as she slumped against the headboard in shock.

His legs were spread out across the floor; he was once sitting on the bed nearly half an hour ago, but once he began to smile at her anxiety, Elena literally kicked him off the bed. His hands were fiddling with the chestnut brown fringes on the carpet, imagining the entire time that it was her hair, her soft, chestnut brown hair.

A sigh escaped his lips once more as he began to hum lightly, trying to at least break off a bit of the ice that was beginning to thicken with each second that ticked by. He began humming a childhood song that his mother used to sing to Stefan and him, his fingers tapping along to the beat. Elena had been glaring at the ring on her hand when the sweet notes caressed her eardrum. She lightly fluttered her eyes closed as she listened intently. The notes became sweeter, seemingly dripped with healing honey that could soothe your mind with its gentle fingers, massaging each worry and anxiety away.

She slumped further back onto the headboard, trying to listen closer to the notes as they became softer and sweeter. Damon glanced up from staring at the carpet to find Elena's eyes fluttered shut, listening to the melodic notes of the childhood song that he remembered so clearly.

When he pressed his lips together to stop the song, she immediately protested by snapping her eyes open, the anxiety returning as she saw the ring still placed upon her finger.

_No, this is just a dream. _

She pressed her eyes closed, trying to draw herself back to her own reality. When she snapped her eyes back open, she found herself still in the hotel room with the same figure sitting on the floor, amusingly watching her. She clenched her jaw, pressed her eyes closed once more, and forcefully pinched her arm, drawing blood to the spot where she had pinched. It felt like a crab's vicious pinch to her.

"Ouch." She lightly whispered as her face twisted to show light pain. Damon's ears perked up, now fully aware that she had harmed herself.

"Ah, ah, no need to harm yourself." He strutted towards the bed, eyes the softest she had ever seen them. His knees indented into the covers as he began to kneel on the bed, inspecting her arm. She was lost in thought as her eyes searched his face.

_That perfect, angel face. _

Without thinking, she pulled her arm away and wistfully jumped off the bed, the covers wrapped firmly around her figure. She looked back over to Damon who was watching her every move, causing a slight brush to pass over her face, in which she immediately hid.

Snapping her head around to try and find her clothing, her eyes landed on the pile of clothing that were strewn across the floor, slightly ripped. She plucked up her silky, ivory, one-strap dress. She had no idea where it came from, but it was quite a sight. She then collected her other paraphernalia. Her feet ventured on to the room just off the main room where, hopefully, the bathroom would be located. Once she stepped into the darkened room, Damon chuckled.

"That's the closet, sweetheart." He smiled wickedly, arms crossed behind his head as he slumped against the headboard, as Elena did just minutes before. Elena's darkened eyes widened as she blushed wildly and stepped back out. Her eyes darted over to Damon pleadingly. He sighed before pointing to the room east of the bed.

She gratefully shut the door and began to dress, the lights above almost blinding her as she glanced, for the first time, in the mirror. Honestly, she had to admit, she didn't look too bad. Her make-up was, thankfully, not a smudge out of line; her hair was naturally cascading down her shoulders. She smiled warmly at her outfit, doing a 360 degree twirl, before she plastered the frown back to her heart-shaped face. Suddenly, there was a definite sound of rock music being played from the room. She tilted her head as she walked towards the door.

Her fingers wrapped around the doorknob, inhaling a deep breath she slowly opened the door. There before her, his shirt nowhere to be found, was Damon. He had somehow located the small refrigerator in the corner and had begun to drink bottles of bourbon. A devious smirk was placed to his face. On the beams just above, he was dancing slowly and seductively; Elena froze, her eyes watching him the entire time. He swayed with the beat, eyes shut closed.

He jumped from beam to beam, using his vampire abilities, only stumbling when the bourbon had finally entered his bloodstream. After minutes of watching him, Elena opened her mouth to speak, "Damon, what are you doing?"

He snapped his eyes open, his smile growing wider, "Just enjoying the married life." Elena covered her eyes with her small hands as felt like screaming, a smile somehow forcing its way through.

She glanced up, eyes glimmering, "You drive me crazy, you know that?" She sat down on the bed and continued to watch him.

He jumped down to the ground, his feet smashing against the wood, creating a loud echo throughout the large hotel room. He slowly prowled towards her, "Oh, I know, alright." He was becoming dangerously close to the bed when he suddenly turned, used his speed to button his shirt up, and sped downstairs to do God-knows-what, leaving Elena bewildered.

Elena leaped to her feet and began to walk towards the hotel door, whipping it open. She lightly shook her head, "He's going to wind up putting me in the nuthouse."

**A/N: Well, how'd you like it?  
><strong>**Next Chapter:**

**We find out where Damon headed off to. Elena begins to book her flight back home, slightly second guessing herself. **

**Remember to review; Hints: Annulment, return, positive **

_**Reviews inspire me to keep writing this story!**_


	3. I Wanna Marry You

**A/N: Truly inspired! Thank you for the reviews everyone. **

_**Remember to review when you're finished reading.**_

**Get ready for a major flashback to the crazy night in Los Angeles (including their wedding). ****WARNING: Small lemon (or smut) involved! You can skip the lemon/smut part if you wish! *****wink***

The soft padding of her ballet flats against the marble of the staircase as unfamiliar faces breezed by, lightly colliding shoulders.

"Sorry." One man would say as the next would mumble, "Excuse me." Elena lightly rolled her eyes, seeing a bald, gray-bearded man eyed up her dress and figure.

He locked eyes with her, "Room 146." His left eye closed to give a clumsy wink. Elena only politely smiled before turning back around to gag. Her feet ventured on down the staircase, wondering the entire time how Damon made it down without being halted by several women who must have traveled the staircase throughout the day. Then the idea of the wedding ring still on his finger would stop the women from taking action made her smirk.

_Ha, Damon must feel so lonely._

As the words slipped through the soft folds of her mind, she came upon the lobby of the hotel. Her jaw fell open as she soaked up the beauty of the room. There was a bubble-like chandelier that hung from the ceiling, spotlighting the cream-colored chairs below that were shaped like kidney beans. Her eyes traveled to the left where more Maple wood couches sat, their cream-colored, angel soft cushions enticing, while the chestnut brown pillows that reminded her of the ones from her room were neatly arranged, two to each cushion. The heaven-white magazine table, shaped in the form of a squiggly worm, was placed directly in front of the couches, magazines sprawled across the surface.

The palm trees and various other plants greeted Elena with nature-y feelings that sent warmth throughout her body, as if she were in the wilderness.

She could just imagine herself in a wide ball gown, fit for a queen, twirling around the large room, her fingertips caressing each surface of the tables, her stilettos grinding into the marble flooring. It was too much for her to notice the figure leaning against one of the marble columns, his arms crossed, and a devious smirk evident on his face.

It was a voice that finally drew her out of the pristine daydream, "Miss?"

Her eyes fluttered open as shamrock green met luscious brown, "Yes?"

The man smiled, "Just making sure you were alright. Your eyes were shut so I didn't know if-"

Elena raised her hand, cutting him off, "I'm fine, but thank you for caring." A warm smile passed over her face before he nodded, his leathery dress shoes making a prominent squeak as he walked back to the gathering of colleagues.

Elena felt lost in Wonderland as she helplessly glanced around, trying to find the man of the hour. Her head spun at the many passing faces.

It was then that something struck her. A memory, a very distinct memory.

**Flashback to the Previous Night**

The blushing red Camaro's tires lightly squeaked as the car came to a halt. Damon glanced over to the sleeping figure on the seat; her head slumped against the window. At the first sight of her sleeping form, he immediately regretted slipping a sleeping antidote into her drink.

_How else would you get her away from St-? _

He stopped himself from even thinking of his brother, who Damon, just barely a week ago, had found in a bed with the little, dark-haired witch. His heart ached for Elena the days after the incident. When she knocked on the door, he never answered it, for fear that she would come in and he would let the confession begin.

Damon wasn't just doing this for himself, but for Elena's sake as well. She had just found out the hard way that what his brother was doing behind her back, and it crushed her- emotionally, physically, and mentally. She seemed like a shell of who she used to be, and Damon wouldn't have it. The feelings that he felt towards her were eating at his flesh for him to take her away, far, far away. So, after convincing her to open the window to her room, he asked her if she wanted some of his bourbon that he had snuck out of the house. Thankfully, she accepted his offer and had begun to drink madly. Unbeknownst to her, Damon had slipped a sleeping antidote into the bourbon.

It took nearly ten minutes for the effects to be fully active, as she was asleep when Damon placed her in the car. The pair at this point were both heavily intoxicated, beyond recognition. Damon's car swerved as he drove, sending surrounding drivers into a panic. Being Los Angeles, there were no police cars around to stop the drunken drive.

**[A/N: Lived in Los Angeles, so I know firsthand that the police officers can sometimes be nowhere.]**

The glimmering signs up above were catching Damon's eyes as soon as he parked the Camaro in the middle of a busy street. Angry drivers shook their fists, spitting absurd words at him as they drove around the Camaro. One car tagged his bumper, but, honestly, Damon wasn't paying any attention to his car. His attention was focused directly on Elena, her pale face shimmering from the above lights that poured in through the window in which she was slumped against.

With a sigh, he reached over and lightly shook her, sending his own head into a jumbled mess for his head was spinning. Her eyes cracked open, but being in the state that she was in, she didn't care if she didn't recognize her surroundings.

Her eyes darted over to Damon who was preparing to be smacked. Instead, she began hysterically laughing, "Let's have some fun." She mumbled before she gripped the handle to the door and whipped it open. Before she could step a foot out, a car whizzed by, taking the door with it. Elena lightly gasped and glanced over to Damon. His face was twisted, as if he wanted to scream, but could only do one thing- laugh. His lips curled up as he let out a shaking laugh. Elena followed along, laughing as well.

Once they somewhat collected themselves, Damon slid out his door, clumsily missing cars that were breezing by. Elena followed his actions, stepping out into the middle of the busy road and began to tip-toe towards the bright lights.

Damon looked over his shoulder when he reached the pavement on the opposite side, "Why are you tip-toeing?" He asked, his words slurred.

Elena gave a crooked smile, "I want to surprise everyone." Damon reached his hand out for her to grab, in which she did, then pulled her up to the raised sidewalk.

Her eyes grew wide as the pair seemingly rushed down the sidewalk. She came to a sudden halt in front of a large store, sending a frown directly to Damon's lips.

"Why'd you stopped?" He slurred out, grammar poor. She pointed in awe at the short, ivory, one-strap dress that was placed on the manikin in the display window.

Damon clicked his tongue, "You want it?"

She gasped as her snapped to face his, "Really?"

Damon smiled and nodded, "Anything for you, kitten." Elena practically squealed as she jumped for joy, running into the just-closing store.

The sales clerk snickered as the pair rushed into the store, "We're closing." She crossed her arms.

"We're just buying one thing." Damon crossed his arms in a mock way to imitate the clerk, who was now clearly annoyed by the two.

She sighed, "Fine, what do you want?"

Elena rushed over to the window display, grabbed the manikin by it's plastic arm, dragging it back, "This dress." She caressed the soft fabric of the ivory dress. The clerk clicked her tongue. She was far too used to the drunks that would drift into her store. She whipped the manikin from Elena's hands and began to take the dress off.

The clerk's eyes glanced down to the price tag, "That will be $699." She smiled wickedly, knowing well that they would not pay that sort of money for a dress.

Damon reached into his pocket and pulled out his credit card. The clerk took the card, astonished.

"There you are," She handed Damon his credit card and Elena her dress.

_(-)_

The wide open doors greeted the pair as they strutted out of the casino, stumbling along the way. Mischievous, child-like smiles were plastered to their faces as the buckets of money were gripped tightly in their hands.

"We have enough money to buy a whole casino!" Elena exclaimed, her eyes glimmering in the bright lights from the casino sign.

Damon smiled, "That's an idea." He winked at her, sending shivers down her spine.

Suddenly, she stopped, halting Damon along in the process, "I know w-what we can do with our m-money." She slurred out, eyes wide.

Damon tilted his head, "What?"

The smile grew wider as she exclaimed, "Let's get married!" Damon's smile grew as well as he guided them back to the Camaro, now missing a passenger's door. The pair slipped into their seats. Elena's fingers caressed the volume button as she began to blast 'Time of Your Life' by Green Day.

The small chapel could barely fit a maximum of thirty people. The white, Maple pews were neatly arranged in four lines, silky cloth draped across the side of each pew. Flower petals lined the aisle. The white, marble altar was cascaded with black roses- Damon's request, of course.

The foolish smile on the groom simply could not be compared to that of the priest's as he watched the doors to the chapel swing open. The soft organ music began to fill the chapel.

Elena began to slowly make her way down the aisle, a white-bearded man, whom she had never met before, was walking beside her. She was wearing the dress Damon had just purchased, while Damon was wearing a suit that he had bought from the chapel. As she came upon the first pew, she smiled down to the guy Damon and she had befriended at the casino. Obviously, the man was very intoxicated as well, for he was half-asleep.

The priest smiled warmly as Elena stepped up next to Damon, her hand intertwining with his.

He glanced from Damon to Elena, ""Dear friends and family, we are gathered here today to witness and celebrate the union of," He looked towards Damon, not sure of his name.

Damon smiled, "Damon."

The priest continued, "And," He stopped once more and glanced to Elena.

She sighed, "Elena."

"In marriage. In the years they have been together, their love and understanding of each other has grown and matured, and now they have decided to live their lives together as husband and wife."

_(-)_

The door to the hotel room was flung open to reveal Damon holding Elena in his arms, bridal style. She was hysterically laughing as Damon flung her onto the bed, eyes filled with lust and hunger.

"Elena," He purred, "I need you now."  
>Elena gulped, "I'm all yours." She held up her hand with the wedding ring placed neatly on her ring finger. This was all that it took for Damon to pounce on her, using his vampire speed to unzip her dress. Her whole body was now bare for him. He inhaled slowly, breathing in her scent; his eyes ate up all of her features hungrily.<p>

Before even a second ticked by, he was rapidly removing his pants as well as boxers in one swift motion. Elena's eyes grew wide at the sight of _him._

_Whoa._

He growled in anticipation as he lifted her legs and placed them on his shoulders; a whimper escaped her lips, for she couldn't take the waiting any longer.

Luscious brown met shocking blue as he locked eyes with her. She dug her nails into his skin, sending Damon into full-throttle. In one swift motion, he thrust himself inside her and began to rock her world.

_(-)_

His fingertips were drawing small circles on the small of her back, eyes filled with trust and (his form of) love.

"We're married," She drawled out, eyes fluttered shut from the intensity that had just occurred.

Damon smile warmly, "And we did _bad _things."

Her eyes fluttered open, "I'm pretty sure a lot of those moves would be considered illegal in most countries." He smiled deviously at the mention of his _moves. _Their legs were laced together, white against olive, as he tugged the sheets half-way up.

She began to protest, but was silenced by Damon's finger being pressed to her lips. His finger was quickly replaced by his lips; the kiss lasted for an eternity to the both of them as the fireworks continued on.

**End of Flashback**

Elena gasped as the bits and pieces of last night came into play, "No." She whispered lightly.

Her feet ventured on towards the front desk where a beach-blonde male employee was typing feverishly on the computer placed before him.

"Excuse me, but does this hotel have a bar?" She asked, trying to hide her face from the man.

The employee looked up, a frown carved into his face, "Way back there." He pointed to the far back of the hotel where, low and behold, stood a large bar. Elena sighed in relief, thanked the employee, and was on her way to the bar.

As she gratefully took a seat at the bar, her muscles began to relax. With her eyes still shut, she asked the impatient bartender for a dirty martini, in which she received minutes later. Taking a large sip, she relaxed even further.

"Kind of guessed that I would find you here." A voice came from next to her, startling her beyond comprehension.

She snapped her eyes open, "I needed a drink after finding out about _this_." She pointed to the ring that was lightly tapping against the martini glass.

Damon's eyebrows rose, "I booked us two tickets back to Mystic Falls." He frowned at the words as he glanced at the beauty of the hotel, wanting so badly to stay here.

Elena placed the glass on the counter, "Whoever said that I wanted to go home?"

Damon chuckled, "Elena, come on. You have family that need you. We both have business to tend to when we return home. _This_," He pointed to his own wedding ring, "is among one of those that need to be spoken to someone who has experience with this type of stuff."

Elena tilted her head, "Who?"

A smile was playing on his lips, "A little teacher who loves his alcohol." Elena chuckled before leaving some cash on the counter and walking back to the room.

Damon rushed after her, "Where are you going?" He asked as they approached the elevators. Elena sighed and leaned against the wall, "To the room."

Damon shook his head, "We have to leave now. I already checked us out. There's nothing to pack, so we can leave. Now." He lightly pressed, lips forming a straight line to show that he was serious. Elena frowned before letting him guide her out of the hotel.

Damon walked up to a bellboy, "I'm pretty sure we left our Camaro in the hotel's care."

The bellboy glanced up from his paperwork, "Last name?"

Damon immediately replied, "Salvatore."

The bellboy nodded before searching through his records, "Ah, yes the beaten Camaro. I'll have it to you in a jiffy." He walked away to go find the car while Damon and Elena stood by the entrance.

Suddenly, it hit Damon, "Did he just say _beaten _Camaro?" He glanced behind him to Elena. She wasn't in the least bit paying attention to anything occurring in front of her, for she was too busy looking over her shoulder at the hotel lobby.

_So pretty._

She was lost in the Wonderland once more. Damon sighed as he snapped his fingers in front of her face, drawing her away from the hotel and looking directly to his face. He opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by the familiar roar of his Camaro's engine. He snapped his head forward; a sharp inhale is what finally caught Elena's attention.

She stepped to the right and did as Damon did; she took in a sharp breath. The passenger's door was missing and there was a large dent on the back bumper. Damon gripped her hand tighter as he tugged her towards the car.

He hopped into the driver's seat, but Elena stayed still, standing by the passenger's door. He sighed as he looked over to an empty seat, "Come on, Elena. Get in."

She crossed her arms stubbornly, "I will not sit in a seat with no door."

Damon growled, "Then get in the back." He pointed to the seat directly behind him. Elena loved this idea. As long as she was far away from him, she was happy.

She crept into the backseat and sat in the middle, twiddling her thumbs as the car roared to life.

_Ugh. Why didn't I bring my phone?_

Throughout the entire trip to the airport, her eyes were locked with the passing houses and wilderness.

**On The Airplane**

Once they were finally situated in their seats in first class, Damon tugged out a magazine from the pocket on the seat directly in front.

_Anything to pass the time._

Truthfully, he hated magazines. They were too personal and told nothing but lies. Sighing, he skimmed through the pages.

"Will everyone please fasten their seatbelts? This is going to be a long and bumpy ride." The stewardess announced over the loud speaker.  
>Elena shot her head up, only catching the last sentence that the stewardess had said.<p>

_This is going to be a long and bumpy ride._

Elena frowned, whispering, "How true."

**An Hour Later**

She was silently listing reasons why Damon and she shouldn't be together. So far, Elena was on number seventy-six. Proudly, she whispered, "He's a womanizer." Damon shot his head towards her, a scowl present on his face. Elena only ignored him and continued listing reasons; this peaked Damon's curiosity, so he placed the magazine back into the pocket and began to listen silently.

Once she reached reason number one hundred and two, he tapped her shoulder. She glanced over to him, eyebrows raised.

He stuck his finger up, as if he were the most intelligent man on the face of the Earth, "What are we going to do about our little marriage?"

Elena sighed, "Only one solution. Get an annulment." Damon frowned at the words, now regretting he even mentioned the subject. She saw his face, smiled, and continued her list.

**A/N: Phew, that took nearly 10 pages on my computer. This chapter is dedicated to everyone that reviews/follows this story. **

**Next Chapter:**

**The pair returns to Mystic Falls where they receive some pretty harsh glares. Rumors spread throughout town. They go to see the 'little teacher who loves his alcohol'**

_**You can review either anonymously or with an account.**_

_**Remember; your reviews are my inspiration to keep writing this story!**_


	4. Overprotective

**A/N: From now on I'll be doing this system of updating Puzzled Hearts one day and this story the next, so I will be updating Puzzled Hearts tomorrow and not today. And this story will not be updated tomorrow but on Saturday. I know, it just got confusing for me too.**

**I now proudly present chapter three of Lover Come Back.**

"Can you just pick me up?" Elena leaned back further into her seat, "No questions asked. It's been a rough day," She rolled her eyes at Caroline's response, "Thank you, Caroline."

Damon's head was turned towards the window, his hand curled up into a fist, pressed firmly against his lips as he stifled a laugh. Since the beginning of the phone call when Elena gave a complete lie to Caroline, he had to stifle multiple laughs. And now, it was reaching the climax; he could feel it preparing to slip out.

Her eyes traveled across the airport's rental car station. The yellow blurs of taxis flooded her sight as she began to prowl her eyes around the lot, searching for Caroline's car. It was no use; Caroline had mentioned during the phone call that she would take another thirty minutes to arrive at the airport. Then there's the hectic journey of getting to the rental car station, which tacks on a good twenty minutes.

The sighs emerging from Elena's thin lips were beginning to bring down the spirits of Damon as slowly ripped his attention away from the window. His body shifted to face her. Just the sight of her face brought back the memory of her phone call and, before he could stop anything, a chuckle leaped out.

Her eyes snapped to him, his face now looking towards the parking lot, "What's so funny?" She slightly demanded, her entire body shifted on the bench.

_Nice one, Salvatore._

He cleared his throat, seemingly of the laughs as well as his tone became firm and collected, "I didn't laugh."

She rolled her eyes, "Fine, what are you _chuckling _about?"

The witty sparks in his brain immediately set into action, listing excuse after excuse.

_Seducing Tactic._

He leaned in, dangerously close. The brush of his skin against her cheek sent immediate shivers shooting up her spin. He smirked at her reaction and whispered hoarsely, "I wasn't chuckling."

She huffed before whacking him on the shoulder, in which he pulled back and began to chuckle lightly, "See, this is me chuckling."

A frown was carved deeply into her features for the next half hour.

**Elena's Point of View**

My breaths were jagged with each second that ticked by. My original plan of the annulment was slowly being jerked apart with each second that I was in his perimeter.

Damon Salvatore was slowly creeping into my heart and capturing it with his broad net of wicked charm. My heart beat began to slow down mildly when the familiar sight of Caroline's car rolled into view. With a sigh, I stood up and walked towards the edge of the sidewalk.

I was waving my hands like a maniac, trying desperately to get her attention. Caroline must have been in her own world, for she could not see me, waving my hands high in the air, in broad daylight. Her car turned jaggedly to the left, heading towards the main entrance for the airport. With a sigh, I jogged down the sidewalk, my eyes locked on the back of Caroline's car.

Once her car came to a halt, I dashed across the lively parking lot, just making it to her car in time to tap on her window rapidly low. She almost jumped from her skin before she rolled down her window.

"Elena! You scared me half to death." She placed a hand over her un-beating heart.

I sighed, "You're already dead, Car." I walked over to the passenger's door where I tapped on the window again, signaling her to unlock the door. I watched as the pull-up lock popped up; I whipped open the door, feeling the cool conditioning breeze against my face. My eyes fluttered closed for a brief second, trying to enjoy the feeling of the cool breeze.

I was soon interrupted, "Mind if I tag along?"

My eyes popped open and floated towards the back of the car where the ruffled, raven-haired Damon casually leaned against, a smirk evident on his face.

I crossed my arms, "N-"

Caroline stuck her head out, "Sure, hop in." Damon smiled before pushing past me and sitting in the passenger's seat. Huffing, I made my way into the back seat where I buckled in.

Caroline smiled towards him in which he ignored altogether; looking over his shoulder towards me, he smiled wickedly. His feet leapt out of the car and slid into the seat directly next to me.

"Hello, kitten." He placed a hand on my thigh, in which I tried desperately to pry off. Caroline watched, eyebrows raised, in the rearview mirror as the engine roared to life.

"Ugh." No matter how hard I tried to pry his hand away from my thigh, his hand seemed to be cemented there, never to be moved. With a giant huff, I gave up and looked out the window to my left.

_Don't think of him. Don't think of him. _

I sighed heavily.

_You're thinking of him already._

**(-) (Caroline's Point of View)**

The hour-long drive to Mystic Falls seemed to last merely minutes as we were soon near the boarding house. The crunching of gravel beneath the Michelin tires were somewhat soothing, just as it always was whenever I had the privilege of driving to the boarding house.

The car came to a halt, the car parked directly in front of the house. The gloomy shadow of the home lurked over the car, casting out any sunshine that was heating up the small town. With a small sigh, I looked over my shoulder. Sure enough, Damon's hand was still clasped to Elena's thigh, smirking like a devil, as Elena looked out the window, trying her best to ignore him. It must not have been working because it seemed that every other minute she was glancing over to him.

The sunshine finally peeked over the tip of the dark house, causing a blinding sparkle to reflect off of her hand. I shielded my eyes by putting my hand above my eyebrows as I searched her hand to find the source.

There it was. The diamond ring placed neatly on her ring finger.

I gasped, "Elena!"

She snapped her head over to me, confused. Her eyes traveled down the trail to her hand, "Oh." Her mouth was stuck in an 'o' as she tried to figure out how to explain.  
>Damon cleared his throat, "I think I'm going to…" His hand was reaching for the handle to the door, "Yeah."<p>

I snapped my glare towards Damon, "Don't you dare step a foot out of this car. If she can't explain, then you will."

He froze at the words and slumped back into the seat. I waited minutes for an explanation, glancing back and forth between the two, "Well?" My eyes stopped on Damon, "Explain."

He cleared his throat once more, "Well, we got drunk, went to L.A., got married, and came home," He paused, as if thinking, "That's pretty much it." He shrugged his shoulders like it was no big deal.

My face was lit with red, "What the hell Damon!" I smacked him up the right side of his head, sending his entire head towards the window.

His lips curled down into the 'Damon pout', "That hurt, Caroline." I glared daggers at him before the sudden sound of the door being whipped open filled the car. My eyes ventured over to where Elena was sat to find an utterly empty seat.

"Elena!" I jumped out of the car, my sensitive senses picking up something horrid. There before me was the brunette, the doppelganger, seemingly regurgitating everything that was in her system out onto the ground near the bushes of the boarding house.

I began to leap forward to help my dear friend when my future spot was filled in by a raven-haired figure. Damon. His hand was on her back, rubbing small circles with his thumbs. I stood back in awe, completely taken aback by the picture before me.

In all the years that I have known Damon, I pictured him doing something like this. He was always the sadistic, sarcastic, evil, womanizing Salvatore.

**(No one's Point of View)**

As soon as the color returned to Elena's face, Damon swept her up into his arms and sped into his room. The angel-soft, Egyptian sheets cuddled her entire body as he gently laid her down on the bed, making sure that he wouldn't trigger another session of regurgitation.

His legs were tucked under as he sat at the foot of the bed, watching over her like an overly-protective father. **[A/N: *wink*]**

Her eyes fluttered open after she had managed to keep her head from spinning, "I must have caught something in Los Angeles." Damon nodded, lightly drawing various shapes on her ankle.

She lightly pulled herself up onto her elbows, "Where's Caroline?"

He jerked his gaze up to meet her's, "She drove home as soon as I brought you upstairs." Elena frowned, for she had wanted so badly to talk to someone other than Damon that day.

"Can you drive me home?" She suddenly asked after sliding off the bed.

Damon straightened his back, "Why? You don't want to spend the day with your hubbie?" He smirked as the scowl on Elena's face grew immeasurably so.

"Shut up, Damon." She threw the pillow towards him and began to descend down the stairs.

The smirk on his face slowly grew to a smile as he used his unfair advantage of vampire speed to get to the car, resulting in a frown to be carved into Elena's delicate features.

"Not fair." She lightly whispered as she slipped into the back seat of his beat-up Camaro.

He looked over his shoulder once was situated in his seat, "Ugh, the passenger's seat is right there." He pointed his finger directly to the empty passenger's seat.

Elena snickered, "As I stated before, I will not sit in a seat with no door." Her arms were crossed firmly against her chest.

He shrugged his shoulders before starting the car and driving off towards the Gilbert residence.

**(-)**

After regurgitating her dinner, Elena's face was completely pale. Her arms draped across her stomach as she groaned, "I must've picked up a bug," She sighed, "Never going to Los Angeles again."

**A/N: This chapter wasn't exactly how I planned it, but I managed to fit the pregnancy in there. **

**Next Chapter:**

**The go to visit 'the little teacher who loves is alcohol'. Elena starts to feel strongly about the annulment after she catches Damon eyeing up another woman at the Mystic Grill. Bad Damon!**

_**Remember: Reviews are my inspiration to keep writing!**_


	5. Quarantined

**A/N: I am so sorry that I haven't updated soon. I was admitted into the hospital on Friday and just got home last night. It seems that the stomach virus is worse than anyone has ever imagined. **

**Please note: I do not own Vampire Diaries nor the characters associated with Vampire Diaries. I only own the characters that I have cooked up!**

**Anyways, here is chapter four of Lover Come Back!**

**(Three Weeks Later…)**

"Are you alright?" Jeremy's head slipped in through the crack of the door, afraid that he would catch what Elena had.

Her face was completely pale, hidden from the sheets that draped over her face. Soft groans were emitting from her soft, white lips, "I don't want you to catch what I have. Just stay away from my room, alright?" Her hand snaked out from underneath the blanket and waved him off.

Nodding in agreement, he walked downstairs and into the kitchen. The wood finish on the cabinets shimmered in the pale sunlight that was pouring in through the shades on the sink window. Four stools were placed nonchalantly around the small island; one of the stools currently occupied.

Jeremy went about his business, trying his best to ignore the smirking figure sitting on the wooden stool before him. Grabbing a bowl and his box of cereal, he sat on the stool opposite that of the figure. He gracefully poured the silky milk into the bowl, watching the white waterfall as it collided with the floor of the bowl. Then, he opened the box of cereal and kept pouring the cereal into the bowl until it was overflowing with milk and cereal. This was 'Jeremy's Cereal Routine.' Quite the opposite of what the norm is; cereal then milk. Honestly, he didn't give a damn.

Finally, he plucked his spoon from the counter and dug into the mountain of soggy cereal. Glancing up to the figure on the stool, he now acknowledged him, "Yo." It was the new vocabulary word he had acquired after meeting the new kid at school. And it made the figure chuckle.

"Jeremy." He greeted with a nod.

Jeremy narrowed his eyes as if hearing the silent question within the one word, "She quarantined herself; won't let anyone in her room." He choked out, a spoonful of cereal crammed into the right side of his mouth to speak.

The figure nodded, his walls now fully up, for he was afraid that Jeremy could see right into his eyes, into his soul.

_If Elena can see right through me, than surely Jeremy can too. _

Deadly silence poured in, choking both men. Jeremy ate his cereal in silence, his left leg slightly swinging and crashing into the wood of the island. Damon looked towards the staircase, longing to walk up the wooden steps to his beloved one.

Jeremy glanced up and followed the trail to the staircase. Sighing, he said, "You can try heading up there, but there's no guarantee that she'll let you in." Damon smirked playfully before shrugging his leather-clad shoulders. Slipping off the stool, he started towards the staircase.

The closer he came to the staircase, the clearer he could hear the gurgle of the toilet's flush upstairs. Each crash of his combat boots against the wood of the staircase sent of jolt of excitement to see Elena. He hadn't laid eyes on her since the day she threw up at the boarding house- nearly a week ago. Ever since then she had some excuse for him not to come over.

"I'm puking my guts out," or, "I need some time alone," and, "I'm so tired." Truthfully, he thought the best excuse was when she picked up the phone and slammed it back down onto the receiver. Never quite understanding the reasoning behind that action, he shrugged it off like he does to everything else.

But now, it sounded like she was heading back to her bed to dose off once more. Not wanting her to fall asleep before he had a chance to talk to her, he sped into her room, clicking the door shut.

Almost immediately, he was greeted by tissues strewn across the floor, a chair that was hurled into the corner, countless empty boxes of various foods that resulted in his eyebrows rising. But the one thing missing from the scene was the woman of the hour.

"Elena?" Damon softly called out, twisting his head this way and that. There was a light shuffle of covers indicating life beneath. Slowly, he strode towards the bed and sat down directly next to the lump of covers. The palm of his hand rested against the covers, trying to find Elena's body. Finally, he landed on her arm, causing her to squirm.

"Jeremy, I told you to stay away from my room. I don't wa-" She began, but was cut off by Damon's eager words.

"It's me, Elena." Damon murmured, gently lifting the covers that were masking her identity. He couldn't help but gasp. Society would have said that she looked horrible, but to Damon, she never looked more beautiful. He softly caressed her paled cheek with the back of his fingers.

What surprised him was that she stayed silent, her lips unmoving, only slightly quivering. The room was nearly sixty-eight degrees, but internally for her, it was nearly forty-five degrees.

Seeing her obvious discomfort, Damon wrapped his arms around her shoulders, bringing her in to rest her head against his chest. He softly caressed her chestnut hair, whispering soft words to her as she began to drift to sleep, her heartbeat slowing.

Jeremy softly rested against the wall closest to the door, trying to slow his breathing so Damon wouldn't hear. It was no use, really. Damon knew that he was there, but kept his lips shut, for he didn't want to awaken Elena. He gently rested the sleeping figure down onto the bed. Jeremy took this as his chance to peek in. Once he did, his eyes were met with the sight of Damon gently placing a kiss on her forehead.

As he straightened his back, Jeremy rushed to his room, lightly clicking the door shut once he was inside. Damon smirked, obviously amused by her kid brother's actions. With the smirk still plastered to his face, his hand ventured over to the lamp, fingers wrapped around the pull-chain socket. He listened intently to her slowing heartbeat, just to make sure that she was sleeping properly.

Just as he was about to pull the chain, he heard it. The sound poured into his eardrums, resulting in him to freeze and listen even more intently.

There it was, a heartbeat.

_**Thud. Thud. Thud. **_

He was taken aback.

_It has to be her heartbeat._

Listening with all his abilities, he heard her heartbeat, resulting in him taking in a deep breath of relief. He pulled the chain, clicking the light off, and ventured towards the window.

_**Thud. **__Thud. __**Thud. **__Thud. __**Thud. **__Thud. _

Damon stopped dead in his tracks. There was a soft echo of her heartbeat that was invading his senses. The sparks in his head immediately searched through the records in a split-second before pulling out a file from when he had ventured to a small village in Italy.

**Flashback to Italy 1967**

The soft hum of passing vehicles and the padding of villagers' feet against the cold ground was all he could clearly hear. No one dared to speak a word, for they were too afraid of the lurking vampires that they knew were in the village.

Everyone suspected everyone of being a vampire. No matter who you were, you were suspected. A few days before this memory, an accused, small child was staked and burnt. The villagers all feared the same fate as the child.

The leather of his shoes lightly squeaked as he ventured on down the dirt path, occasionally bumping into the warm flesh of a human. As he was passing one small hut, the cries of a woman shattered his sensitive eardrums. Damon snapped his head towards the direction of the cries, expecting to be met with the sight of a woman being killed or having merchandise stolen. But when his eyes landed on the woman, a pang of sorrow hit his heart. She had fallen into a pile of crates, trying her hardest to lift herself up onto the palms of her hands. With each shattering cry that emitted from her paled lips, Damon's feet inched closer. No one was rushing to her aid. No one.

Glancing over his shoulder, he saw that no one was coming to help the poor woman. She was clearly in the late stages of labor, but he had absolutely no clue what to do. The woman's heartbeat was growing rapid, but when he listened carefully, he could hear the strong heartbeat of her child.

Feeling useless, he sped away, never looking over his shoulder.

**End of Flashback**

And that's when it truly clicked for Damon. The sudden rage and jealousy rushed through his veins, resulting in his fangs to protrude from his gums. For fear of hurting her, Damon sped away from the room to anywhere that he couldn't hear that small heartbeat.

_How could she?_

**A/N: Oo, things are getting intense. **

**Next Chapter:**

**Damon disappears in a jealous rage, leaving everyone worried. Jeremy grows suspicious of Elena's symptoms and does research, dragging Caroline, Bonnie, and Matt into the process. **

**I'm bringing Matt into this story because a lot of people were upset that I killed him off in Puzzled Hearts. **

_**Remember: Reviews are my inspiration to keep writing!**_


	6. Mandalay

**A/N: Feeling so much better! Thanks to all that reviewed last chapter, you guys are great.**

With each jagged turn the car made, with each mile he drove, his heart tore.

_How could she?_

Damon had left in a raging heat, gathering what limited paraphernalia he could, throwing it into the backseat of his blushing red Camaro before speeding away. Away from Elena, and unbeknownst to him, his child.

**Saltzman Residence**

Her legs were folded beneath herself as she sat on the couch in the large living room; the pacing figures around her were lost in thought.

"Alright, when you think of Damon, which place do you see?" Alaric asked, placing his coffee mug on the table.

Caroline sighed, "Mystic Falls."

Bonnie chuckled nervously, "I don't like to think of Damon." She glanced over to Jeremy, who was shaking his head in amusement.

He looked up to Alaric, "I can see him with four girls at each side of him, walking into a casino." Bonnie's foot jutted forward to jab him in the shin, resulting in her receiving a solid glare.

Elena wrung her hands worriedly, "I can't think straight." Her head lightly shook, eyes locked with the table.

Alaric sighed, "Well, this is going nowhere," He quietly sat down in the closest chair, a hand caressing his chin.

Moments of silence passed before Alaric pressed, "I believe Jeremy might be the only realistic guess we have." He stood suddenly, walking towards the side of the staircase. His hand pressed firmly onto the corner of a seemingly piece of the wall. Just as Caroline was about to question what he was doing, the piece of wall slowly creaked open, revealing a small storage compartment.

Alaric glanced over his shoulder to the flabbergasted teens, "I have my secrets, too." His head disappeared into the cubby for moments.

In those few moments, Bonnie looked towards Jeremy, twirling her finger next to her temple and mouthing, 'He's crazy.' Elena stayed just as she was minutes before, staring at the ground beneath her feet. Caroline tried to peek over Alaric's shoulder, too curious to wait.

When his head reappeared, two bags were in his hands. His feet ventured on towards the group, Caroline following behind him, trying to peek into the bags.

"What's in there?" She asked, her eyebrows scrunched in determination to find out.

Alaric sighed, "Car, stand over there." He pointed to the couch that Elena was partially occupying. She obeyed, taking a seat next to the dazed brunette.

Alaric zippered the black bags open and spilled the paraphernalia placed inside onto the glass table, careful not to spill his coffee. The entire group's eyes widened as the skimmed over the piles of cash and flight tickets.

Jeremy immediately jumped up, "Rick, where did you get all of this?" He narrowed his dark eyes suspiciously.

Alaric's hands shot up in the air defensively, "I swear on my mother's grave that I did not steal it," He smirked, "After Isobel and I tied the knot, I stashed a few bags of cash for emergencies. After I became guardian of you and Elena, I bought a few flight tickets, just in case." His smile grew before he gave a wink to the astonished teens. Elena still stared down at the ground.

Bonnie sighed before tapping her shoulder, "We really need you to focus." Elena snapped her head up, her eyes landing on the cash.

"What is this for?" Her soft hands brushed against the monies.

Jeremy's eyes widened in realization, "We're going to Vegas?"

Alaric's eyes passed from teen to teen before he nodded, "And you're all going."

**Las Vegas- Mandalay Bay Hotel**

The flashing lights were merely flashlights that guided him to the hotel of his choice. The dark sunglasses, seemingly a barrier against the world, were quietly pulled down as he pulled up to the valet booth.

"Please leave the keys in the car, sir. Thank you." The cheerful blonde behind the desk smiled, skimming his body up and down as he stepped away from the Camaro.

"Take good care of him." He pulled his sunglasses down a little further to give a flirtatious wink, and then pulled the sunglasses back up, venturing on towards the hotel.

The blonde giggled before setting off to work on parking the car.

**(-)**

The bedroom was about the size of the boarding house living room. Making keen observations of the room was a part of his agenda that day as he skimmed through each individual room. The grand bathroom had a large Jacuzzi in the far corner, nearly fifty feet long. The shower was exquisite, nearly ten feet smaller than the Jacuzzi.

But the highlight of his night was testing out the bed. No not in that way, dirty mind.

His back rested into the silk sheets, savoring the moment as his eyelids fluttered shut. All worries flew out the room in that one moment of Damon's heaven.

**Flight 241- Flying Over Missouri**

Bonnie glanced over to the sleeping Elena whose head was rested against the glass of the airplane window. She glanced back to Jeremy who held his hand out, expectantly.

She sighed before reaching into her duffle bag and grabbed her laptop, "Be quick." She hissed.

Jeremy nodded numbly before flipping the laptop open and pressing the power button. Moments later, he was on the Web, the cursor flashing in the search bar.

He glanced over his shoulder to the pair behind him, "Psst!"

Matt, who had been dragged into the mess, glanced up from his book, nudging Caroline awake.

"What?" She hissed back, rubbing her eyes.

Jeremy gulped suddenly, before he cleared his throat, "Did any of you see how Elena's been acting lately?"

All three tilted their heads, lost. He sighed, "She's been throwing up lately," He frowned, "And don't even get me started on the weird late-night cravings for pickles." Bonnie sighed in understanding, remembering the night that Elena had called her.

**Flashback…**

Her dreams became fuzzy as she was drawn away by the constant ringing beneath her pillow. With a grunt, she reached under her pillow and pulled her phone out.

"What?" She groaned, eyes still closed.

"Bonnie, it's an emergency." A hectic voice called through.

Immediately, her body jolted forward, "What's wrong?"

"I need pickles." Elena was on the verge of tearing.

"You're kidding me, right?" She huffed angrily, "It's three thirty in the fucking morning."

Elena sighed, "I will die if I do not have those pickles."

Bonnie groaned before tearing the sheets off of her.

**End of Flashback**

Bonnie shook the memory from her head, "Yeah, but what does it mean?"

Caroline gasped in realization as the puzzle pieces were put into place, "No, she can't." She shook her head feverishly. Matt glanced over to her, very confused at that point in time.

"Can someone care to explain what you guys are talking about?" Matt asked, shutting the book.

Jeremy gripped the corner of the laptop before flipping it around to show all three of them.

The entire group gasped.

"Impossible."

"Nope, not happening."

"I knew it!"

**A/N: A lot of humor and fluff. Tell me if your ideas for this story and if you like the idea of Matt being added. Tyler will make an appearance later on. **

_**VERY IMPORTANT:**_

_**Should I have Damon cheat? Just once? **_

_**Remember: Your reviews are my inspiration to keep writing this story! *wink* Blackmail? Maybe. *evil grin***_

_**You can review anonymously or with an account. **_


	7. Bright Lights, Big City

**A/N: I do not own Vampire Diaries, nor do I own the characters associated with Vampire Diaries. I only own the characters that I have cooked up.**

**Chapter 6: Bright Lights, Big City**

**Las Vegas Casino (Damon's Point of View)**

The leather of the newly-bought combat boots echoed a razor-like hum, turning countless heads, blondes and brunettes galore. The menacing, Louis Vuitton, black Evasion sunglasses were clumsily pushed to the lower bridge of my nose, commenting my predator persona. The crooked smirk plastered to the fine curves of my lips clearly made the waitresses' legs wobbly.

And to pull the laces together, the black, leather jacket draped across my shoulders spotlighted the entire menacing look I was aiming for. Deciding against going original, I spiked my hair just the slightest, making it appear as if I had just woken up. Nobody wants to look collected. Or if you do, then you're probably a prude.

Today was about forgetting; leaving everything that I had grown too attached to in the dust. Starting over was my main goal set in mind.

_Forget._

As I sat down on a swivel chair that was connected to the floor beneath me for a game of craps, the eyes of the brunette female directly next to me were boring holes into my head. I turned my head in her direction before pulling the dark sunglasses down to flash a wink and a crooked smirk.

She was clearly affected by it, for you could see the shivers rolling off of her back. The smirk grew into a predator's hungry grin as I began to speak.

But before I could get a word out, I was hushed by her fingertip atop of my mouth.

"My name's Amber Green." Her emerald eyes sparkled with exhilaration, the nails on her rough fingers slightly dug into my skin as her right arm snaked around mine.

I frowned at the eagerness in her tone, "The name's Not Interested." I smirked as her face dropped. My feet touched the ground once more as I began to walk away, only to be stopped by the sudden jab of pain directed towards my head.

"No one turns me down!" Amber screamed, her face red as she threw her martini glass at my head. Just as I was about to rip her throat clear off her body, two large casino guards came thrusting forward, grabbing her arms. She screamed her timid, little head off all the way out of the casino.

I didn't stick around long enough to see any further as I walked towards the bar. Approaching the large, brightly-lit bar, there was only one stool unoccupied, the rest were occupied by lonely women.

_Enough with the torture._

Once the feeling of rage left, I took a seat in between the large group of women. The bartender walked over to me, flipping her dyed, black hair over her shoulder.

"What do you want?" She asked, clearly annoyed. I ignored her question, trying to listen to the conversation between the groups of women surrounding me.

"That prick thought that it was just a one-night stand," A brunette cried out.

Another woman chimed in, "Exactly what happened to me two years ago with some douche."

I slowly slugged down in my chair.

"On the outside, he was the most handsome man I have ever seen; black hair and stunning blue eyes." The brunette said, her eyes appeared far away, remembering the night.

"How uncanny! Sounds exactly like the guy that slept with me." The woman brushed a hand against her hair, accidentally bumping into my arm.

She flipped her head around, "So sor-" Her eyes grew wide, "Oh my god."

I immediately jumped to my feet, rushing to the front of the casino. Suddenly, two blonde women, eerily similar in appearance, stepped in front of me.

"Hi," They purred in unison.

I glanced over my shoulder to the flabbergasted women sitting at the bar, their eyes glaring towards me. My head flipped back around to the girls in front of me, "No time to talk," I grabbed the one woman's arm, tagging the other along with her as I sped out the door.

**[A/N: Don't jump to conclusions; I took your reviews into serious consideration. *smiles*]**

**Las Vegas Streets (Elena's Point of View)**

My eyes were locked to the passing palm trees, trying to lock onto each one individually. The bags beneath my eyes were tell-tale signs of a sleepless night on the airplane. Out of the corner of my eye, Jeremy and Tyler, who was on vacation in Las Vegas and decided to join us, were constantly glancing over to me, turning back to the group in the back seat to whisper.

I honestly didn't have the energy to ask what they were chit-chatting about, so I averted my gaze from them to the two seated in the front. Alaric had his hands gripped to the wheel as he silently cursed the drivers that would cut in front of our car, resulting in his foot to slam on the brakes. Matt sat in the passenger seat, flipping the map in every direction to find the location of where they were.

"What street are we on?" He asked, flipping the map ninety degrees to the left.

Alaric huffed, "I don't know, but this old ass in front of us better figure out the speed limit."

_Better help them._

I stretched my neck out of the open window to gaze up at the street signs whizzing by. Before it passed, I quickly read the sign before slugging my head inside.

"Luntz Avenue." I reported, averting my eyes from the surprised faces around me.

Matt glanced over his shoulder, flashing a genuine smile. His attention was then drawn to the map, "Luntz Avenue, Luntz Avenue," He kept flipping the map, until his finger landed on the name, "Ah, here we are."

He showed the map to Alaric, who nodded in response, his eyes directing back to the road.

He cleared his throat, "So, when you think of Damon, what destination comes to mind?"

_This ought to be good._

Caroline sighed, "Mystic Falls."

Bonnie crossed her arms over her chest, "I don't think of him."

Tyler shrugged his shoulders before looking out the window.

Alaric's eyes narrowed as another driver cut in front of the car, "Let me rephrase that question. When you think of Damon, where in Las Vegas do you see him?"

Caroline's hand rose in the air as if she was in history class, "I think Jeremy was spot on. Two girls walking by his side out of a casino."

I cringed at the thought.

_Why am I acting like this? I don't even like him._

As if it were a sign from the Lord, the bright lights of Las Vegas came into view.

"It's worth a look into," Alaric began to drive forward towards the casinos.

**Mandalay Bay Hotel**

The two girls were smiling like five year olds as Damon opened the door to his hotel room. When the door clicked shut, the girls' jaws were agape at the beauty of the room.

"This guy is loaded." The one whispered to her sister. His eyebrows rose at the words as he flopped down onto the bed, leaving the two girls there to whisper.

His eyes shut, "I can hear you," He sung, flashing a small smirk.

The one girl, who was slightly taller than the other, clicked her tongue, "I'm bored," She whined.

The shorter girl crossed her arms, "Me too."

Damon groaned before propping himself up onto his elbows, "And what do you want me to do about it?"  
>The taller one lightly squealed, "I want to have some fun with you."<p>

The shorter girl began to prowl towards him, her eyes sparked. His one eyebrow cocked up at the idea.

_Hmmm…_

The tall girl climbed onto the bed, and just as he clicked his eyes open, she straddled his hips. He growled as he felt her legs squeeze together, locking him in as the shorter one ran a soft finger up his pant leg. It felt unearthly to him, even though this seemed to be his routine. And when the sound of his zipper being undone echoed through the room, panic set in.

He had no clue why he was feeling this, but it felt wrong. No matter how many excuses he came up with to participate in this act, he shot each one down. It felt wrong, like he was cheating, which is exactly what he would have done.

Gripping the one straddling his hips, he threw her onto the floor. She let out a small whimper, softly limping to the door. The shorter one, in fear of being hurt, ran after her, closing the door behind her.

Damon's head collided with the pillow.

_I need some fun._

"But not _that_ fun." He nodded in agreement before slipping away into his dream world.

**Grand Gold Casino**

The team from Mystic Falls strutted in through the doors of the Grand Gold Casino, the ninth casino that they have scavenged for Damon.

Caroline sighed, "We should split up again." The team nodded before they split up into pairs; Tyler-Caroline, Bonnie-Jeremy, Matt-Elena, and Alaric set out on his own.

Tyler led Caroline over to the craps sections where they did their routine search.

Nothing.

Elena ventured over to the Black Jack tables, Matt following behind.

"Have you seen this man?" Matt showed Damon's picture to each dealer.

Nothing.

The last pair searched the dining area, showing waitresses and patrons the same picture of Damon.

Nothing.

Meanwhile, in the West Wing of the casino, Alaric walked up to the bar where he sat down, closely looking around for someone to ask. The groups of women located to each side of him were chatting away.

"I swear, that was the guy that I was talking about. Same black hair, blue eyes, leather jacket; everything."

His ears perked up at the description, "Excuse me," He chimed in, "Have you seen this man?" He reached into his pocket, pulled out the photo, and showed the group.

The women looked at each other before saying in unison, "Yes."

**A/N: So, no cheating in this storyline, just close-calls.*winks***

**Next Chapter:**

**Everyone starts getting nervous about confronting Elena with the pregnancy. While at the hotel they are staying at, Bonnie spots Damon, but doesn't tell Elena for her sake.**

_**Remember: You're reviews are my inspiration to keep writing!**_

_**You can review anonymously or with an account.**_


	8. Confrontation

_**Confronting someone can be the hardest thing a person can do, but if you're a true friend, your heart will tell you what to do. **_

The group was assembled around a large table, seemingly the knights seated at the round table. Their faces were grim as they hid their faces by their paling hands. The silence was deadly, choking the innocent Bonnie who stared wide-eyed at each face around her.

Clearing her throat, she choked out, "We should tell her." Each grim face shot up, their mouths falling open, unsure of how to respond.

Matt shook his head feverishly, "We shouldn't just tell her," He sighed, "She'll think we're creeps."

Alaric leaned back into his chair, a suggestion flashing in his mind, "Just drop hints, that should work." His shoulders rose to give a small shrug before wandering off to make himself a cup of black coffee. The pale blue pajamas fit his mood currently, light and dreamy. The slippers placed upon his feet gingerly cuddled his toes as he walked towards the large kitchen.

Each appliance in the kitchen ranged in prices from a minimum of two hundred dollars to the highest price tag of twenty thousand dollars. His eyes grew wide as he read the small sign placed onto the marble counter.

_You break it,_

_you pay the price._

Caroline drowsily nodded, her eyes daring to be shut. Shaking her head, she muttered, "Don't tell me that I'll have to be the one to do all of this." She glanced around the room to the frowning faces.

Her eyes stopped directly on Tyler whose face turned a shade of red, swiftly replying, "I'm not good at this type of stuff." His arms were thrown into the air in surrender, causing Caroline to pout.

After pouring himself a cup of freshly-brewed coffee, Alaric ventured back to the table full of visibly dumb-struck teens. "So," He took a sip from his coffee, softly burning his tongue, "Who's going to take on the mission?"

Everyone looked at each other, an occasional glare slipping through, as well as Bonnie suddenly tip-toeing towards the door, resulting in everyone to direct their stares to her.

"Bonnie," Alaric called before she froze in her spot, her hand still latched to the handle, "You got the job. Congrats." And with that, he ventured off to his room, the fluffy slippers leading the way.

Bonnie sighed before angrily pulling open the door, stomping her way to the elevator. She had carelessly thrown on an outfit this morning; whitewashed skinny jeans, a blue halter top, and black running shoes. The outfit had been packed into the duffle bag that she chose at random, making her sense of luck rise, for the outfit was a perfect fit.

Coming upon the elevator, her finger jabbed at the button, pushing it more than needed to release her feud. Just as the doors slid open, her phone buzzed in her front pocket, sending her into a frenzy to read the message. Eyes locked to the cellphone screen, she ventured inside the elevator, not even bothering to acknowledge the figure standing next to her.

The figure was glancing out the glass elevator to the scenery below, too occupied to glance over to Bonnie. A rusty sigh escaped his lips as the number on the elevator counted down.

_Why did I get the suite?_

He rolled his blue eyes, pulling the dark sunglasses down a tad to glance at the number on the elevator.

8

7

6

5

The doors slid open, revealing a tall redhead in her early twenties, a smile spread across her lips. His predator instincts jumped into action at the sight of her. Just the sight of her pulse point resulted in him licking his lips.

"You mind not staring up my fiancée?" A sudden voice pulled him from the targetry session. His eyes wandered over to the dark brunette directly next to her side.

Rolling his eyes, he muttered, "She wasn't worth it, anyway."

The short man began to lunge towards him, the redhead jumping into action.

"Stop it!" The Swedish accent presented itself as she shot a glare towards him, "We have an image to uphold." The short man nodded, adjusting his jacket before they walked out the opened elevator doors.

The countdown continued.

3

2

Lobby

Once the doors slid open, Bonnie shut her phone, sliding it back into her pocket. The figure gestured for her to walk out first, in which she didn't hesitate to do. She ventured on towards the rotating doors, halting for some reason. Her stomach did a flip-flop as realization dawned upon her.

_It couldn't be him._

Her eyes traveled behind her, fear set in. What if it was him? What would she do?

Damon walked towards the west side of the lobby where he traveled out the automatic doors. Her head began to spin, everything was suddenly in twos. She stumbled towards the elevator once more, sure of where she needed to go.

**Room 315 (Bonnie's Point of View)**

My hand tightened as Elena worriedly glanced into my eyes, "What's the matter?" The frown was carved deeply into her face, her eyes dull. It was tearing me apart inside, for the idea of me having knowledge of something that she should know was ripping my heartstrings.

"Lena," I locked eyes with her. The truth needed to be told, "Now, when I ask you this question, don't think that I'm being nosy, okay?" Elena's head tilted before she nodded cautiously.

_This is going to get weird. _

The sharp intake of breath and the whir of the paddle fan were the only noises heard, "When was the last time you had your...monthly friend?" I slightly winced at the poor usage of words.

The small chuckle floated from her lips, "Why would you want to know that?" Her hand reached over to the small bowl placed on the glass table to grab a pickle.

My eyebrow rose at the sudden action, "We know everything about each other," Elena couldn't help but smile at the statement, "Our favorite colors, crushes, et cetera," My eyes fluttered shut, "Even when our monthly friends visit us."

She was plucking a pickle from the bowl at that moment when she froze, "I-I… missed my period this month. It's always on the twentieth of every month, not-"

I finished her sentence, eyes still shut, "a day before or after." I snapped my eyes open as I felt the couch shift, seeing her stand up, beginning to pace.

"But I can't be…" She trailed off, eyes fully wide.

The scene before me was truly tearing at every emotion I have ever possessed. All the sudden panic I had previously felt was thrown out the window. Rushing over to my greatest friend, I wrapped my arms around her, softly stroking her chestnut hair, "Anything's possible, Lena."  
>With that said, she burst into tears, softly mumbling out, "There's only one way to know for sure."<p>

I gently pulled back to look into her glossy eyes, tilting my head to the side.

The small smile playing on her lips was visible, "We need to go to the store."

**An Hour Later… (No one's Point of View)**

The alarm was set, the entire room silent as the ticking of the clock filled the pair's eardrums. Bonnie was sat on the bed, her palms pressed into the mattress, watching her friend pace around the room.

"If you keep doing that, I'm going to wind up with a headache." Her face twisted into a smile, but only received a frown in return.

"What if it's negative?" She sat down next to Bonnie, wrapping her arms tightly around her shoulders, "What if this is all a big scare?"

Bonnie raised her eyebrows at her sudden paranoia, "I believe the real question is what if it's positive?" She wrapped a hand around her neck, drawing Elena's head to rest on her shoulder, "Will you tell Damon?"

Elena tensed at the name, "Can we just see the results?"

She frowned at the response as she peered across the room to look at the alarm, "Thirty seconds." Her eyes glanced down to the puffy eyes below her. Feeling somewhat guilty and saddened, she drew Elena in closer, "Whatever that result is, whether it's positive or negative, just know that I will always be here. I will never abandon you."

Elena's mind was elsewhere at the mention of abandonment. Her own husband had run off to Las Vegas just to get away from her. The thudding in her chest grew erratic at the thought, her eyes welling up with tears.

_Why me?_

Her entire body jolted forward at the sudden ringing of the alarm, indicating that time was up. The results were in. This was the one moment in her life that she dearly regretted not going to the bathroom beforehand.

As the two tip-toed towards the plastic, white stick on the bathroom counter, their breaths were drawn in. Elena's eyes were filled with panic, glancing over to Bonnie who had her eyes and hands locked with hers.

"You ready?" Bonnie choked out. The thoughts of running away were clear in Elena's mind, but as she looked into her best friend's eyes, she knew that there would be no such plan.

Her head bobbed up and down to give a shaky nod. The grip of their hands grew immensely, their feet reaching the edge of the counter.

Taking a huge breath, the two women peered at the stick.

**: )**

"What the hell does this mean?" Bonnie lifted up the stick, waving it around in fury.

Elena laughed, "It's a smiley face." Bonnie's eyes shot a glare towards her in a 'no duh' way.

"Check the box." Her finger pointed towards the box, long since thrown into the trash bin. Plucking it up, Elena began to read the instructions aloud, stopping when it came to the results section.

"If the results show a smiley face, then you are pregnant." She gulped loudly, the box slipping from her hands.

Bonnie's feet pressed into the caret, jumping up and down excitedly, "You're pregnant!"

Feeling as if she was going to become unconscious, Elena rushed to the bed, sighing upon impact. Her eyes grew wide when Bonnie laid down beside her, "How are you going to tell Damon?"

She shrugged her shoulders, "He can find out when he stops acting like a child and comes back." Her arms were locked across her chest.

Bonnie nodded slowly, ideas flooding in. She suddenly jolted forward, a devious smirk plastered to her lips, "I have an idea."

**A/N: Did you like the humor I added? The smiley face bit is an actually inspired by my aunt's first pregnancy test revelation. **

**Next Chapter:**

**We find out Bonnie's wicked idea that Damon is simply intrigued by. *****wink***

**The rest of the gang try to have some fun.**

**Remember: Your reviews are my inspiration to keep writing!**

**You can review anonymously or with an account. **


	9. Wicked

**A plan that has a deadly passion put forth into it will be more likely to succeed than if performed by beastly imbussels with a dream. **

The small assembly had joined together once more, this time on wickeder terms. Bonnie's idea had yet to be presented to the small group before her.

Her eyes darted around the round table; Matt's eyes were locked to the bagels in the center of the table, Tyler was whispering words to Caroline, who in turn was giggling like a school girl. Meanwhile, Alaric was hiding his face, dozing off into a light sleep, the brunette seated next to him, Elena, was sleepily rubbing her temples, Jeremy watching her intently.

Each mind was in a different world, whether it was directed to food, love, sleeping, a rough life, or worry, they all knew the reason behind the gathering.

Damon.

The spider-web-of-a-plan spinning in Bonnie's mind was becoming vaster with each tick of the clock; the wicked grin placed upon her lips was ever expanding.

"Everyone," Her voice suddenly filled the air, snapping heads in her direction, "Listen closely because every, single one of you are a part of this plan." She flashed a brilliant smile.

**6 PM- Grand Gold Casino**

"Just don't blatantly say anything, alright?" Her right hand was on her hip as if the two were directly in front of her. Once the word of reassurance was spoken, she bid her farewell, and ended the call.

The small group had spent the past seven hours doing what they called, 'research' on the current activities of their prey, Damon. With Bonnie leading the team, they were confident that the overall plan would pull together brilliantly. But with the dreamers came the skeptics, mostly Elena with a small tag-along, Caroline. She would wind up stepping to the side when the early stages of planning were in full-throttle. In the end, she had casted doubt upon many of the group members by stating, "He's Damon, it's not like he'll care anyway." And just like that, she shrugged her shoulders before heading off to get dressed.

There was absolutely no way that she would stay in the hotel room all night. Simply impossible. She would wind up pacing the floor, keeping her eyes locked to her phone's screen for any incoming calls or messages. She was not in the mood for any games that night, so as Elena dressed in her finest clothes, she made sure that she added a hint of 'Damon-y' flare to it. The leather jacket that she had kept after their brief trip to Georgia was now draped across her upper-body as the group entered the casino.

With a sigh, each member said a silent prayer before heading off into separate directions in hope of coming face-to-face with their target.

Tyler's feet shuffled across the marble flooring, eyes surveying the entire wing of the casino. Each male that fit the description was not disregarded, for he walked up to each man, time and time walking away with no Salvatore.

As he came upon the end of the entrance wing, he was spotted by a familiar face. Alaric casually walked towards him, his hands pushed into his jeans' pockets.

"Well?" Alaric kept his eyes surveying the casino grounds, scrutinizing each person.

Tyler sighed, "Nothing. Are you sure we came to the right place?"

Alaric snapped his eyes to him, "I asked several women at the bar over there," He pointed towards the bar that was buzzing with life, "And each one told of a man that fits his description to a T."

"Guess we'll just have to keep searching." With a long, weary sigh, Tyler nodded before starting off towards his side of the casino once more. Alaric narrowed his eyes before heading back to the south side.

"Nothing?" Bonnie asked through the phone's speaker.

"Nothing, he hasn't even stepped a foot in the door in the past few hours as the security informed me." Caroline glanced over to Elena, who was keeping sentry over their side of the casino. Drawing her voice to a whisper, she said, "I think we should've kept Elena at the hotel."

Bonnie's eyes narrowed before she quickly muttered, "I've got to go, Caroline." The breath was hitched in her throat as she ended the call, prowling slowly to the back of a column. With a deep breath, she peeked around the corner towards the entrance.

"You're late," She whispered, mustering the breath that she somehow found deep within herself.

The leather jacket that was slung over his shoulder casually was accenting the altogether bad boy look. The sunglasses were long since left at the hotel. His combat boots clicked against the marble flooring as he came to a halt, the sudden feeling of more than just admiring eyes falling upon him.

His eyes were drawn to the source as he listened to the racing heartbeats surrounding him. Just as Bonnie peeked around the corner to confirm that she was not imagining this, he directly spotted her, watching her every move.

The menacing smirk plastered to his lips was evident as he prowled towards the large, marble column. The palm of Damon's hand was pressed against the marble as he leaned against it casually.

"Oh, witch," He sung, "Come out, come out."

She sucked in a sharp breath before she peeked out one, final time to come into contact with the sight of a jean leg. Her eyes traveled upwards, directly to his face.

"Like what you see?" He joked, the smug smirk broad on his lips.

She shook her feverishly, "My eyes burn from the sight of you."

His tongue clicked with the roof of his mouth, "Not nice," His head tilted to the side, "What are you all doing here?"

She froze, "All?" The only option at this point was to play dumb.

He shook his head in amusement, "I'm not blind. I can clearly see the whole group prowling the grounds. Alaric, Jeremy, Tyler, Matt, Caroline, " He paused, eyes lost, "And poor, poor Elena."

The amused laugh escaped her lips, "You don't even know the half of why she's so upset."

His arms folded across his chest, "And why exactly is she upset?"

Bonnie rose to her feet, her eyes dangerously narrowed, "Why don't you find out for yourself." She collided shoulders with him as she strutted off towards the exit, leaving Damon in a dust of bewilderment.

_What?_

His boots thundered against the marble flooring as Damon ventured towards the tall, brunette who was keeping sentry over the west wing of the casino.

"Mutt, what the hell is going on?" He came to a halt in front of Matt, whose hands were forced into his pockets.

With a shrug of his shoulder, he simply stated, "It's such a long story," He looked towards the entrance window where Bonnie was tapping her foot impatiently, "And I really don't have the time." Matt's feet ventured towards the exit where he hopped into the rental van.

Thoughts began to rush in his head; Damon always needed to have knowledge of what was happening. And right now, the temptations of begging were creeping their way up his list. Directing his way towards the south wing, he groaned as he crashed into a tired hybrid.

"Can you tell me what the fuck is going on?" His agitation level had grown dangerously so.

Tyler sighed, "Dude, you have a brain, use it." He patted Damon on the shoulder before heading off towards the van, a broad smile playing on his lips.

This left Damon to ball his hands into fists. The smoke was beginning to pour from his ears as he ventured off towards the east wing where the wild craps games were being held. The roar of the crowds invaded his eardrums as he started towards the brunette figure who was keeping sentry by one game of craps.

"Damon," Jeremy's eyes bore into his, "How… _nice _to see you again."

Damon's eyes narrowed, "You better tell me what is going on."

His left side of his hand wiped his forehead from the beads of sweat that were beginning to form, "What I know, you have to figure out." His lips pursed.

Damon's eyes narrowed, his hand forming in a fist at his side as Jeremy breezed by him and out the door. The irritation was visibly high, for his face was growing a light shade of red as he prowled towards the south wing.

Alaric was pacing the floors, a glass of whiskey in his right hand, his cellphone clumsily placed into his pocket. With a long sigh, he snapped his head up to the sound of thundering boots.

"Alaric," Damon boomed, "If you don't tell me what the fuck is going on, I will be forced to kill you." The surrounding games were hushed at the words. Whispers could be heard as Damon's eyes narrowed.

Alaric raised his hand with the whiskey placed in it, "I have a ring to save me," He tapped his foot before taking a long swig of his drink, "What confuses you so?"

His feet took a giant step forward, his tone firm and full of fury, "What is it that I have to know?"

Alaric let a rusty chuckle fill the air before he looked Damon in the eyes, "I really wish I could tell you, but this is a matter that you must figure out on your own." He clicked his tongue before walking towards the exit where he was met by a waitress who took the empty glass from his hands.

This left Damon a raging bull. The horns were beginning to protrude from his skin, his sight blinded by red. The combat boots thundered once more against the marble flooring.

**THUD. THUD. THUD. THUD.**

The boots came to a screeching halt when his eyes landed on the brunette, the doppelganger, the undiscovered love, his wife. The breath was hitched in his throat when he took a few more steps forward, trying to gain her attention.

But just as he was within her perimeter, he was yet again halted by a confident blonde.

"Get out of my way, Caroline." He demanded, trying to toss her to the side.

"I'll move once you know what exactly you've been searching for," Her eyes grew saddened.

Meanwhile, his eyes were brimmed with curiosity, "I must find out for myself." His lips pursed as he pushed her aside, leaving her with a jaw to the floor.

_I-I…What just happened?  
><em>She quickly collected herself before she rushed to the exit where Caroline was met by the rest of the gang.

"What happened?" Bonnie questioned, her eyes wide.

Caroline hopped into the backseat and slammed the door shut, "He is determined to find out for himself."

Tyler scoffed, "But that wasn't part of the plan." Jeremy and Matt nodded in agreement.

Alaric leaned further into his seat, "We're talking about Damon here," He frowned deeply, "There is no final plan when it comes to him."

Elena was searching the grounds, her hair partially covering the right side of her face as she kept her eyes locked onto one figure far by the craps games. Even though he appeared nothing like Damon, she couldn't help but imagine that it was him.

It was simply preposterous and crazy how she went from despising the ground he walked upon to wishing he would wrap his arms around her once more. After all, she was carrying his child.

_But he doesn't know that._

Her eyes were saddened and dull as she sighed in agreement with her thoughts. What would he do when found out? Would he panic and run off again? Would he be angry?

Just as she swept her head back towards the entrance, the breath was captured in her throat. Her eyes locked with the blue ones directly in front of her. He was within touching distance, but to her he seemed to be so far away.

The fury had long been thrown out the window, replaced with the familiar jealousy, "Elena." He greeted, eyes cold.

She gulped, the noises around her seemed to be hushing as she drowned in the ocean blue before her, "Damon," She tore her gaze away from him and directed it towards the floor, "I-I have something to tell you." She stammered out.

His lips pursed, "I already know."

Elena's head snapped up, "How?"

His eyes grew darker, "I heard its heartbeat." Her eyes narrowed at the usage of words.

She gazed into his eyes, trying to read him like a book, just as she used to do before the marriage, before the drunken trip to Los Angeles. But his walls were completely up, swathed in barbed wire.

_He's angry._

She bit her lip, "Why are you angry then?" His eyes bore into hers.

"You slept with someone else." He stated, eyes and tone firm.

Elena gasped. He had everything twisted, "No! I didn't."

His eyes narrowed, "You don't expect me to believe that that child is mine, do you?"

Her eyes began to burn at the words. He didn't believe a word from her mouth, "Damon," She locked eyes with him, "I did not cheat."

He scoffed at the words, "Vampires cannot procreate," His hands balled into fists, "I can't raise another man's child, so stop trying to entrap me. Just get an abortion." The words seemed to be slipping from his lips.

And before he could stop anything, her hand firmly slapped him across the face, "Don't you dare say that ever again! I would never kill _our_ child!" The tears were streaming down her cheeks.

Damon's eyes grew wide upon realization of his words, "Elena, I-" He was cut off by the sobs emitting from her lips. With each whimper that escaped, his heart tore.

_Dammit._

His arms went to reach for her, to hold her, but she pulled away and, with tears streaming down her face, she ran out the entrance, leaving Damon far behind. Once she reached the safety of the seat in the car, she muttered out, "Just drive. I don't want to see his face."

Bonnie nodded, her eyes brimming with her own tears as she put the car into drive and drove away.

Damon had retired to his hotel room, flopping down onto the mattress. His eyes were cold and lost as he stared up to the ceiling above.

"It can't be my child," His eyes narrowed, "It can't."

**A/N: Sorry it took so long to update. This chapter took some careful thinking. Please don't fret, Delena always has a happy ending. **

**Next Chapter:**

**Matt, Jeremy, Alaric, and Tyler set out to make Damon believe that he is in fact the father. **

**Bonnie and Caroline comfort Elena by taking her out to dinner. While there, all hell breaks loose.**

_**Remember: Your reviews are my inspiration to keep writing this riveting story!**_

_**You can review anonymously or with an account.**_

_**Please Note: I am currently working on the sequel to Puzzled Hearts.**_


	10. Carry Me Down

**Only fools are blind when it comes to love.**

Their eyes were dull, feet practically dragging across the marble floor.

"I can't feel my feet." Tyler muttered as he flopped onto the lobby couch. Alaric took a seat next to him, glancing around to the small group of men. Jeremy, Matt, Tyler, and himself had spent the past two hours searching high and low for Damon. Each time they walked away with no Salvatore.

"You think he left Las Vegas?" Matt asked while rubbing his sore ankle.

Jeremy shook his head, "Not after finding out that he has a kid," He thought for a moment, "Oh, wait."

**Elena's Hotel Room**

"I just-" Elena's mouth fell open, the tears sliding down her cheeks. The words couldn't form; her mind was busy worrying about her future.

Caroline's fingers began to rub deep circles into her temples, her legs tucked beneath herself. The weary day had taken a toll on the group of girls, Elena especially. Spending countless hours inside a hotel room was not the intention that neither Bonnie nor Caroline had in mind.

Bonnie's elbows were leaning against the Maple dresser, her mind in a different world. Her heart tore at the sight of her longtime friend balling her eyes out.

_If only Mystic Falls didn't revolve around Damon._

She shook her head; thinking that way would only raise her agitation level. Not being able to take the sight before her any longer, she breezed towards the two girls, and lightly grabbed their wrists.

"We can't be cooped-up in this room all day." Her lips twitched upwards to give a reassuring, bright smile that filled the broken hopes for both girls.

"You're right. Let's go eat." Elena returned the smile before walking out of the hotel room.

**Lobby**

At the sound of the clicks of heels, the group of men's heads snapped up.

Caroline flashed a brilliant smile, seeing the question in their eyes, "We're heading out to the restaurant across the street." The group nodded before Caroline wiggled her pointer finger at Tyler, a silent farewell.

With Elena leading the way, the girls' eyes were hungrily locked to the restaurant just across the stretch of blacktop, Washington Square. It seemed like such an odd name for a restaurant in Las Vegas, but it would have to do if they were going to satisfy their growling stomachs.

Traffic seemed to stop at the sight of the three girls, dressed in the ivory, light pink and baby blue off-shoulder dresses. Their heels clicked as the world around them hushed, watching each of the girls' movements.

With a broad smile, Elena pulled the restaurant's door open, stepping inside the air conditioned room. She halted when she came to the booth where she shut her eyes to enjoy the fresh scent of hamburgers, pasta, and other Italian dishes.

Sitting down, she skimmed through the menu in her hands.

"Buona sera, senoritas." Each girl glanced up to the sparkling eyes of the waiter. His sandy, chestnut hair was brushed to the side, barely covering his firm, piercing blue eyes. His sun kissed skin was wrapped perfectly around the broad cheekbones. The pearly-white smile seemed to make Bonnie's heart melt.

"Hi," Caroline placed her chin in her hand, getting lost in his blue eyes.

"Ciao," Bonnie replied, her eyes sparkling with awe as she glanced at every detail of his face.

Elena shifted in her chair uncomfortably, for the waiter reminded her of Damon. Plus, it seemed wrong to be flirting with a man when she was still getting over the heartbreaking words that were emitted from Damon's wicked lips.  
>He cleared his throat before he glanced down to his pad of paper, "What drinks would you like?"<p>

Bonnie was quick to reply, "Can we have a pitcher of Coca-Cola, please?" She flashed a smile as he nodded and walked back towards the kitchen.

Once he disappeared behind the swinging doors, Caroline lightly chuckled, "Did you see his eyes?"

Bonnie nodded, "As blue as the sky."

Elena clicked her tongue, "I thought you guys had boyfriends?"

The two immediately pursed their lips before going back to skimming their menus.

**Meanwhile in the Lobby…**

"What do we do if he sees us?" Jeremy whispered, his eyes following the leather jacket.

Matt placed a finger on his lips, gesturing to Jeremy to shush up. The patrons that were passing by couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of grown men hiding behind a couch, only to peek out to glance at the man in the leather jacket.

"Room key." The clerk coldly said, his hand outstretched.

Damon clicked his tongue before digging into his pockets to retrieve the key. Once his hand placed the keys in the clerk's hand, he snickered, "It was only one hole."

The clerk shook his head, "Sir, we can discuss this matter once I get ahold of my manager. Can you please take a seat in the waiting area?" He pointed towards the area where the group of men were peeking out. Damon narrowed his eyes before his boots thudded towards the couches.

Pulling out his phone, he took a seat on the couch directly opposite that of the group of men whose faces were oddly pale.

"Shit." Alaric hissed, trying to mask his face with a near plant.

His head tilted when he heard the familiar voice. Glancing up, his eyes captured the sight of the familiar citizens of Mystic Falls. His jaw clenched as he jumped up, "What the hell are you doing here?" His eyes skimmed the group of men.

Tyler stood up, running a hand through his chestnut locks, "Dude, what you said to Elena was not right."

Damon leaned in, "Who the hell are you to tell me what is and what is not right?"

Jeremy's face grew red, walking up to stand by Tyler, "You seriously hurt her."

Damon shook his head, averting his gaze from all of them, "She was trying to entrap me."

Matt immediately jabbed a finger into his chest, "Are you fucking blind?" His face was directly in Damon's, "She would never lie about something like this."

Damon waved it off like it was nothing, "You never know what a girl will do when it comes down to a situation like this."

Jeremy lunged forward, "You better watch your mouth when you talk about my sister."

Damon gave a mocking laugh, "Well your _sister _is a slut." His gaze dropped to the floor as realization of his words dawned upon him, "Wait, I-"

Before he could get another word out, the sickening thud of a fist against his jaw echoed through the lobby.

"There is something fucked-up in your head." Jeremy's face was beet red. No one ever talked about his sister like that. As he stormed out the lobby's sliding doors, Damon jumped to his feet, running after him.

As he came to the entrance of the Washington Square, Jeremy glanced over his shoulder to see him dashing through traffic, his eyes narrowed, face red. Fearing for his life, he rushed inside the restaurant.

"Elena!" He called out, frantically searching the restaurant. When his eyes landed on her face, he sped towards her, sitting directly next to her.

"Jer, what's wrong?" Elena's head was tilted in confusion, her eyes slightly wide.

Taking in jagged breaths, he opened his mouth to speak. But the hands on the collar of his shirt stopped him speaking another word. His wide, doe-brown eyes locked with the piercing blue before him.

"Let go of him!" Elena bellowed, jutting her foot towards Damon's leg.

Damon's eyes were dark as he glared down to Elena, "Gladly." Carelessly, he dropped Jeremy to the marble floor. The sickening thud of Jeremy's head against the hard ground sent a jolt of worry through her.

Pushing Damon aside, she nearly screamed as her eyes landed on the bloody pool surrounding Jeremy.

Caroline grabbed the back of Damon's shirt, forcing him out the door of the restaurant. Bonnie immediately jumped out of her seat. Her eyes were wide, mouth falling open as she glanced down to his paling face.

"Does he have his ring on?" Elena choked out.

Bonnie rushed to grab his hand. The clock on the wall seemed to be ticking time bomb that was Jeremy's life as Bonnie's eyes fell upon his finger. The restaurant was deadly silent as countless patrons and employees had to look away from the gruesome sight.

Bonnie's face dropped. "No," She whispered, snapping her eyes up to Elena's, "He doesn't have his ring on."

**Elena's Point of View**

As soon as the words were said, my mind didn't believe it. My eyelids kept closing, hoping that if I were to open them, everything would be alright. Jeremy wouldn't be lying on the floor, his life slipping away.

Panic set in as I glanced down to his paling face. He needed a hospital and fast. There was only one option at this point.

"Damon." I said, my eyes locked on Jeremy's face. Bounding to my feet, I rushed out of the restaurant's door where, just outside, Caroline was hissing at Damon.

"Caroline," My tone was filled with urgency. She snapped her gaze to me, seeing the blood on my hands, she immediately became worried.

Speeding to my side, she asked, "What happened? Are you alright?" Her hands had a vice grip on my upper arms.

"I-It's Jeremy," I glared towards Damon, "His head is bleeding badly."

Her jaw clenched, "I can use my speed to get him to the hospital."

I immediately shook my head, "You haven't had blood in a while, you're not as fast as," I glared towards Damon whose attention was directed to his feet, "_Him_."

She was taken aback, but knew not to fight it. Walking over to him, she forcefully tapped him on the shoulder, "You need to take Jeremy to the hospital," His eyes were sad as they glanced to her face. He immediately sped into the restaurant where his eyes fell upon the bloody scene.

Bonnie's shirt was plastered with blood as she rested Jeremy's head on her lap.

**Damon's Point of View**

In that one moment, I felt like a dick. This wouldn't be the first time that I nearly killed a Gilbert. Not wanting to be responsible for another death, I took his limp body from Bonnie's hands and breezed out the door, not even caring if the public had seen me using speed.

I glanced over to Elena whose eyes were locked to Jeremy's pale, bloody face. It sickened me to think that I had caused every bit of this mess. And I needed to clean up after myself.

Using my keen senses, I sped off in the direction of the local hospital.

My eyes were continuously glancing down to his face. His chest would rise with small, jagged breaths, his face was barely visible as the blood poured onto each feature.

For once, I felt absolutely horrible, "Don't die on me. Don't you dare die on me."

**A/N: First off, I am sorry if some of the characters seem out-of-character. **

**Cliffhanger!**

**Next Chapter:**

**Will Jeremy die? Does Damon apologize for both Jeremy and Elena? **

**Will Damon believe that the child is his?**

_**Remember; your reviews are my inspiration to keep writing!**_

_**You can review anonymously or with an account.**_


	11. Knockin' On Heaven's Door

**We never realize the good things in life until death comes knocking on the door.**

The muffled sirens were slowly fading away as they sped closer to the hospital. Just inside the automatic doors, passed the filled waiting room, beyond the nurses' quarters was an abandoned hall. The walls had fallen bricks, scattered across the floor. The clicks of boots were the only noises as Damon paced the hall, thinking every possible scenario for the next hour through.

It seemed as if he had once had everything in his grasp, and just like that, it was cruelly ripped away from him, leaving him a saddened man.

Meanwhile in the waiting area, the small group of Mystic Falls residents were seated in various spots around the room. Some were on the floor, foreheads touching their knees. Others were in the seats, rubbing their temples to stay awake. The far-off clock hanging on the wall ticked away.

Various nurses fluttered past, some even stepping into the room for the other guests that were waiting apprehensively for news on their loved ones. One nurse dared to step into the half-empty room, eyes glancing down to the clipboard in her hands.

She glanced up to the people and asked, "Gilbert?"

Within mere seconds, the entire room stood at attention, eyes pleading for any news, whether it be good or bad. The nurse's eyes widened before she said, "The head surgeon will be heading out to talk to you all when the surgery is finished." Everyone nodded sadly before taking a seat again.

Alaric lightly sighed before standing up, not being able to take the deadly silence. Clearing his throat, he asked, "Anyone want coffee?" He glanced around, but no one seemed to answer him. With a shrug of his shoulders, he headed off towards the hall where the coffee machine was located.

As he sauntered down the hall, he could see the coffee-break room. Glancing around for any nurses or doctors, he could only spot one figure far down an abandoned hall. Squinting his eyes, he could make out familiar traits of the person.  
>"Damon." He muttered to himself. Alaric glanced back to the room, yearning for a fresh cup of coffee. After sighing heavily, he marched towards the abandoned hall.<p>

Her head pounded as she walked through the halls, frantically searching for any nurses with news on Jeremy. When she spotted a nurse, she would grip the corner of their scrubs and ask, "Do you have any news on Jeremy Gilbert?"

Each time she asked, the response would be a solid 'no'. Sighing, she walked down the hall again.

_Please don't die, Jer._

She halted any further actions when she came upon a large, glass window. Out of innocent curiosity, she stepped towards the window, peering inside. The room was filled with bassinets, each filled with a newborn baby. As she gazed upon the small lives before her, the awe was evident in her eyes.

Looking down to her stomach, she whispered, "I can't wait to meet you."

Suddenly, her hand clapped across her mouth, the bile rising up. Elena frantically searched around for the nearest restroom, and when she located one, she rushed inside, emptying nearly all the substances in her stomach.

Arm draped across the toilet, she let the air conditioning above cool down her face. Sighing, she sarcastically mumbled, "I _really_ can't wait to meet you now."

Caroline scooted closer to Tyler on the tiled floor. Her lips pursed when she saw his forehead pressed to his knees. With a deep inhale of breath, she brushed her finger across his arm, "Tyler?"

He grunted in response. Rolling her eyes, she continued, "What did Damon say about Elena?"

Tyler's head shifted so his eyes were locked with hers, "Nothing."

She narrowed her eyes, "Quit lying," She leaned in closer, "Tell me or you're not getting any for a solid month."

His eyes immediately grew wide before he brought his voice to a mere whisper, "He was arguing about how the kid isn't his," She balled her hands into fists, "And that…that," He paused, averting his gaze from hers.

She gripped his shoulder, "Tyler." It was laced in demand and he heard it.

Forcing his eyes shut, he whispered, "Jeremy punched him in the face because Damon called her a slut." Her eyes widened upon hearing the words. And, as luck would have it, in walked the mentioned raven-haired man.

"Any news on Jeremy?" Damon asked, receiving glares in response. Caroline powered to her feet, marching towards him. Alaric was standing behind him, eyes widening as he saw the look on Caroline's face.

Before he could stop anything, Caroline's hand collided with the side of his face, "You called the mother of your child a _slut_?"

Clearly angered with the situation, Damon stormed towards the waiting room on the opposite side of the hospital. His eyes grew dark and cold as he took a seat in the room.

Feeling slightly healthier, Elena stepped out of the restroom which was neighboring the waiting room. Strolling into the area, she glanced around to the angered faces, "What happened?"

Matt and Bonnie shot their heads up before saying in unison, "Nothing."

"Blunt force trauma to the head and right region of his brain." The doctor concludes as the nurses finish setting up the equipment that is needed.

The heartbeat monitor began to beat slower and slower.

The two lay entwined on Damon's bed talking about their future.

The prospect of children popping into Elena's head, "Do you ever want to have children?"

He stayed silent for a few moments, "You know vampires can't procreate."

She frowned before plastering a smile to her lips, "But you sure do love to try."

They were walking about downtown, heading into various stores. As they passed by a baby store, Elena stopped, peering inside, "I love children, don't you?" She wrapped her arm around his waist.

He pursed his lips, "Depends on whose kids they are."

She playfully poked him before continuing walking down the sidewalk.

"No! Stop it!" The water was squirted onto her face as she rushed across the lawn. Damon darted towards her, the hose in his hand spraying a stream of water onto her body.

The devious smile was playing on his lips, "Aw, but why? I'm having so much fun." He put his thumb halfway across the opening, making the stream come out with force.

She chuckled as the water hit her back, sending shivers up her spine, "No, it's not fun. Stop that, it's cold!" She jutted her bottom lip outward as she flipped her body away from him.

He chuckled before wrapping his arms around her, "It was your idea."

She leaned back onto his bare chest, "It was my idea to lie out in the sun, not get the hose out." She glanced up to him, suddenly seeing the devious glint in his eyes.

"True." He said before placing the hose into the skirt of her skirtini, resulting in her to squeal and run towards the house.

The doctor carefully began the surgery as he made several incisions. In the waiting room, several of his loved ones and friends could remember times when Jeremy would brighten up the occasion.

Jeremy went about his business, trying his best to ignore the smirking figure sitting on the wooden stool before him. Grabbing a bowl and his box of cereal, he sat on the stool opposite that of the figure. He gracefully poured the silky milk into the bowl, watching the white waterfall as it collided with the floor of the bowl. Then, he opened the box of cereal and kept pouring the cereal into the bowl until it was overflowing with the two ingredients. This was 'Jeremy's Cereal Routine.' Quite the opposite of what the norm is; cereal then milk. Honestly, he didn't give a damn.

Finally, he plucked his spoon from the counter and dug into the mountain of soggy cereal. Glancing up to the figure on the stool, he now acknowledged him, "Yo." It was the new vocabulary word he had acquired after meeting the new kid at school. And it made the figure chuckle.

"Jeremy." He greeted with a nod.

"Alright, when you think of Damon, which place do you see?" Alaric asked, placing his coffee mug on the table.

Caroline sighed, "Mystic Falls."

Bonnie chuckled nervously, "I don't like to think of Damon." She glanced over to Jeremy, who was shaking his head in amusement.

He looked up to Alaric, "I can see him with four girls at each side of him, walking into a casino." Bonnie's foot jutted forward to jab him in the shin, resulting in her receiving a solid glare, but couldn't help to smile.

Alaric's eyes narrowed as another driver cut in front of the car, "Let me rephrase that question. When you think of Damon, where in Las Vegas do you see him?"

Caroline's hand rose in the air as if she was in history class, "I think Jeremy was spot on. Two girls walking by his side out of a casino." Jeremy smiled deviously. For once, his thoughts were taken into consideration.

As if it were a sign from the Lord, the bright lights of Las Vegas came into view.

"It's worth a look into," Alaric began to drive forward towards the casinos.

Her eyes darted around the round table; Matt's eyes were locked to the bagels in the center of the table, Tyler was whispering words to Caroline, who in turn was giggling like a school girl. Meanwhile, Alaric was hiding his face, dozing off into a light sleep, the brunette seated next to him, Elena, was sleepily rubbing her temples, Jeremy watching her intently.

Bonnie smiled at the sincerity that Jeremy was showing towards his sister at such a time.

Each mind was in a different world, whether it was directed to food, love, sleeping, a rough life, or worry, they all knew the reason behind the gathering.

"Damon," Jeremy's eyes bore into his, "How… _nice_ to see you again."

Damon's eyes narrowed, "You better tell me what is going on."

His left side of his hand wiped his forehead from the beads of sweat that were beginning to form, "What I know, you have to figure out." His lips pursed.

"You think he left Las Vegas?" Matt asked while rubbing his sore ankle.

Jeremy shook his head, "Not after finding out that he has a kid," He thought for a moment, "Oh, wait."

It was these memories that brought a twinge of both pain and happiness to the small waiting area. The clock on the wall continued to tick away.

But there was one memory that everyone was thinking about. And it was crushing each and every one of their hearts as they dawned light upon it.

The dinner table was buzzing with life at the Gilbert residence. Bonnie was chatting with both Elena and Caroline, Matt was trying to hang his spoon on his nose with Tyler carefully watching him, and Alaric was talking with Damon about the Originals. With a broad smile, Jeremy lifted his glass and clunked the fork against the rim, sending out a signal to everyone.

The room grew quiet as he began, "We've all been talking about the past," He glanced towards Damon, "and the present," He looked to Bonnie, "But I wish to talk about the future." Jeremy kept in his seat as he shifted slightly.

"I know that this isn't exactly the right time, but I want to get this off my chest."

Damon spoke out, "You're gay?" He flashed a playful, devious smile before Elena kicked him in the shin.

Jeremy only chuckled in response, "I have been taking these extra-curricular art classes after school, and the teacher has praised my work. She has informed me that sometime next year, I will be traveling to France to be Sir Benoît Lefevre's apprentice."

Everyone was quiet as they tried to soak up the information.

Elena jumped up, wrapping her arms around Jeremy, "I'm so proud of you."

The smile that was playing on his lips grew as he was embraced and congratulated.

Now, all those dreams were hanging dry in the air as they all waited for news. The tears were brimming their eyes as the remembered the night when Jeremy spoke of his future.

As their eyes were closing for a night of sleep several hours later, a doctor walked into the room.

"Gilbert?" He called out. Everyone stood at attention once more.

The grim frown plastered to his lips made Elena's heart nearly drop from her chest. Damon was beside the door, hidden from plain view.

The doctor cleared his throat before he said, "I'm so sorry…"

**A/N: You're going to want to kill me next chapter for making you worry so much. *wink***

**Next Chapter:**

**Someone has a life talk with Damon. **

**Elena visits the nursery once more where a nurse lets her hold one of the babies. **

**Caroline and Tyler start talking about their future.**

_**Remember; your reviews are my inspiration to keep writing! I'm going to pull out the 'black mail' card again: **__**5 more reviews or no next chapter.**___


	12. Midsummer Night's Dream

_Previously in Lover Come Back…_

Now, all those dreams were hanging dry in the air as they all waited for news. The tears were brimming their eyes as the remembered the night when Jeremy spoke of his future.

As their eyes were closing for a night of sleep several hours later, a doctor walked into the room.

"Gilbert?" He called out. Everyone stood at attention once more.

The grim frown plastered to his lips made Elena's heart nearly drop from her chest. Damon was beside the door, hidden from plain view.

The doctor cleared his throat before he said, "I'm so sorry…"

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 12: Midsummer Night's Dream<strong>

Elena's eyes immediately overflowed with tears that were begging to be released. Bonnie wrapped her arms around her, crying into her chestnut hair.

The doctor warily looked around, before he uncomfortably shifted weight from one foot to the other. He began to open his mouth to speak when the wailing from the surrounding people cut him off.

Tyler glanced up, his eyes becoming red, "What do you have to say, doctor?"

The doctor cleared his throat before speaking loudly over the wailing, "Jeremy is currently in an induced coma."

Elena snapped her head up, "An _induced _coma? Why would you put him in a coma?" It slipped out in a bitter tone.

He slightly winced at her tone, "Induced comas are used to protect the brain during major neurosurgery, and as a last line of treatment in certain cases of status epilepticus that have not responded to other treatments." His eyes twinkled as he said, "Jeremy is very lucky; he shall be waking up earlier than most patients. Some medically induced comas can take twenty years for the patient to wake up."

Everyone winced at the words, but were still grateful that he would wake up soon.

Alaric walked towards the doctor, "How long until he wakes up?"

The doctor crossed his arms as he thought. His hand reached towards his chin to caress the whiskers, "With the blunt force trauma, he should wake up in two days, but that boy," He pointed towards the gurney that was being wheeled into a recovery room, "is a true fighter. I've never seen someone recover so quickly from that much force to the head."

Alaric nodded as he watched the gurney with the brunette being wheeled in, "It's a miracle."

Damon's chest heaved up and down as he managed to control his breathing. Seeing the look on Elena's face was torturing him; physically, emotionally, mentally. He had caused all of this. He had hurt every, single person in that waiting room- Alaric, Matt, Bonnie, Caroline, Tyler, and Elena.

He was the reason that Jeremy was secretly battling for his life as heaven came knocking on his door. With a shake of his head to compose himself, he silently breezed by the waiting room entrance and stood at the doorway to Jeremy's hospital room.

There were tubes running in through his mouth, the IV was neatly placed into his arm, his eyes were shut, but the heart monitor beside the bed kept beeping. To Damon, Jeremy almost seemed dead. His eyes traveled to the top of his head, seeing it wrapped in gauze securely. His face was unrecognizable; it was puffy as well as slightly purple.

The surgery had taken a whopping seven hours, for the force to the brain was so grave that they believed he would never make it.

As he took a step forward, he could hear footsteps emerging from the waiting room. Not wanting to take a risk, he sped out of the room just as Elena was about to walk in.

Her hand was wrapped tightly around Jeremy's. The cold texture of his skin sent shivers down her spine as she glanced up to his face, seeing someone who wasn't her brother.

Inhaling sharply, she whispered, "I've heard that people in comas can still hear," She fought the tears, "So I want to tell you this Jer; you can't die on me. I need you," She rested her hand upon her stomach, "_We_ need you."

A blonde nurse interruptedly strutted into the room, chewing her gum noisily, "Ma'am, you have to leave."

She nodded before she shot the nurse a 'wait-a-minute' look, in which the nurse happily agreed to, leaving the room abruptly.

Before leaving the room, she gently placed a kiss on his forehead, careful not to apply too much pressure. When her foot touched the ground just outside the room, she could feel the gravitational pull towards her brother's unmoving body lying on the hospital bed. Sighing, she walked back towards the waiting room. Suddenly, she stopped in front of the entrance.

She needed something that would lighten the mood for her, to get her mind off of death and misery. The nursery.

* * *

><p>Caroline leaned against the wall, the same wall that Tyler and her had been sitting against for the past hour. Sighing, she turned towards him and leaned her head against his shoulder, "Tyler?"<p>

His eyes fluttered open, revealing the stunning eyes she had fallen in love with, "Is this another question about what Damon said?" His head was tilted downwards to look at her.

Her lips twitched downward into a frown, "No," She glanced up to his eyes, "Do you ever think about our future?"

He thought for a moment, "What do you mean?"

She shrugged her shoulders, "You know; get married, move into a house, have kids."

Tyler's eyes grew saddened, "You know we can't have children, Caroline."

Both had the knowledge that they couldn't beat science like Elena and Damon had, but they had another option in mind.

"I know, but what about adoption?" She gave a light smile.

He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, pulling her in close, "Of course, my love. I love any and all children, even if they aren't mine."

The tears silently spilled onto her cheeks as they embraced each other in the small waiting room.

* * *

><p>Her fingertips danced across the glass of the window as she slowly walked by. Inside the small room were rows upon rows of bassinets holding the smallest babies Elena had ever laid eyes on.<p>

The nurse inside the room smiled up to her as she walked out the door. She walked next to Elena, lightly tapping her on the shoulder, "How far along are you?"

Elena lightly gasped. No one, let alone a stranger, had ever guessed that she was pregnant right off the bat, "Almost a month."

The nurse nodded with a smile before she gestured towards the nursery, "Would you like to hold a baby?"

The breath was caught in her throat. Her eyes traveled to the bassinet directly in front of the window. She was yearning to hold the small bundle, just to know what it would feel like to hold a new life.

Her head bobbed up and down in response. The nurse smiled before leading her inside.

**Elena's Point of View**

My hands shook as the nurse gently placed the small child in my arms. After minutes of instruction on how to hold the child, I felt comfortable knowing that I wouldn't drop the small bundle.

Looking down the baby, I could immediately tell that it was a little boy, for he had the facial features of a male. His hair was a dark, dark brown, and, as he gently opened his eyelids, I caught sight of the light blue ocean beneath. The child was stunning, and he gave me hope that our child would look like him.

I glanced up to the nurse, "What's the little guy's name?"

She smiled before checking the bassinet, "Aiden Young."

My lips burst into a smile, "What a beautiful name."

The name had officially topped my list for my baby, if it is a boy.

As gently as I could, I placed the beautiful little boy back into the bassinet, then thanked the nurse who I will forever be indebted to.

_Aiden. _

I flashed a warm smile as I walked down the hall, "Aiden."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: The people have spoken! The polls have truly showed me that Drake is out and Aiden is in. **

**Next Chapter:**

**After seeing everyone heading home to sleep, Damon goes into Jeremy's hospital room.**

**While there, he wakes up. With slight amnesia, Jeremy doesn't remember what happened in Vegas. **

**Late in the night, Elena receives an unexpected visit from a familiar face.**


	13. Hold Your Hand

_Previously in Lover Come Back…_

The doctor cleared his throat before speaking loudly over the wailing, "Jeremy is currently in an induced coma."

Damon's chest heaved up and down as he managed to control his breathing. Seeing the look on Elena's face was torturing him; physically, emotionally, mentally. He had caused all of this. He had hurt every, single person in that waiting room- Alaric, Matt, Bonnie, Caroline, Tyler, and Elena.

Inhaling sharply, Elena whispered, "I've heard that people in comas can still hear," She fought the tears, "So I want to tell you this Jer; you can't die on me. I need you," She rested her hand upon her stomach, "We need you."

"What about adoption?" Caroline gave a light smile.

Tyler wrapped his arms around her shoulders, pulling her in close, "Of course, my love. I love any and all children, even if they aren't mine."

Elena glanced up to the nurse, "What's the little guy's name?"

The nurse smiled before checking the bassinet, "Aiden Young."

She flashed a warm smile as she walked down the hall, "Aiden."

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 13: Hold Your Hand<strong>

The thunder clouds began to pour in, filling the once blue sky with utter blackness. The hum of the engines put a weary Bonnie right to sleep, her head slumped against the window as Caroline and Tyler drove her to the hotel. The whistling wind brushed against the windows as Caroline glanced over to Tyler, seeing the yearning for sleep.

His muscles tensed with each turn, begging his mind to control his eyes, so they did not close, drawing him into a deep slumber. His lips curved outward to give a long sigh before Caroline entwined her hand with his. Every muscle in his body relaxed, it was the same reaction because it seemed as if she had a profound calming mechanism built somewhere inside her.

The tires smoothly swerved to the left, barely missing the squirrel who had decided to dart in front of the car.

This jolted Bonnie awake from the backseat, pushing herself up onto her elbows, "What happened?"

Caroline twisted her head over her shoulder before resting a hand on Bonnie's shoulder, "Nothing. You need rest, go to sleep." Feeling defeated, Bonnie immediately obeyed, resting her head back onto the leather seat where she fell back into a deep slumber.

The dreams that had previously played began to submerge once more. They were of strange nature, for they were hazy, yet were set in the future. Putting the puzzle pieces together, Bonnie immediately knew that these were no dreams; they were visions.

* * *

><p>Once the car came to a halt in front of the hotel, Caroline unbuckled her seat belt.<p>

"Would you mind carrying her inside?" She flashed an innocent smile as an alternate way of begging.

He quickly undid the seatbelt before sighing, "Why can't I just wake her up?"

_Boys; they always think like this._ Caroline thought.

She shook her head in amusement, "I don't want to wake her up. She really needs the rest."

Defeated, he hopped out of the car, opened the back door and gently picked up Bonnie, trying his best to not wake her up.

* * *

><p><em>The mirror must be lying; there is no way that I look like that. <em>

My hand immediately shot up to lightly mess up my raven hair which was looking utterly flat and _normal_. I adjusted so I could grip the soap bottle, pouring light amounts of liquid soap into my hand. The water cascaded from the faucet, spluttering onto my hands as I mixed the soap together by rubbing my palms together.

Throughout the small session, I never glanced up once, for I feared that I wouldn't like what I would see. Shutting the water off, I strutted towards the towel rack, brushing my hands against the blue towels. Without me realizing it, my forearms were rubbing against the right pocket of the leather jacket, pushing a small, white object out.

Suddenly, there was a small scraping noise. Glancing down, I saw that it was a folded piece of paper. With curiosity set in mind, I bent over to pick it up. The pads of my fingers lightly caressed the smooth surface as I held it in my hands, yearning to open it.

Then, the immediate confusion of how the paper was placed in my pocket dawned upon me. Checking over the jacket, I quickly realized that this was not the Varvatos leather jacket I had originally walked into the hospital with.

My head tilted to the side as I began to think over whose this might be, until I realized that this was the jacket I had given Elena on the road trip to Georgia. A smirk began to play on my lips at the scent of her. How I didn't smell it before was beyond my reasoning.

Sliding the jacket off my shoulders, I lifted it to my nostrils, inhaling every scent of her deeply. I wanted to remember this sweet scent that I would've most likely never enjoyed ever again thanks to the bastard that knocked her up.

My eyes fluttered back open, catching sight of the folded piece of paper. Curiosity overcame me once more resulting in me sitting on the edge of the counter, the jacket on my left knee as I began to open the paper.

I was taken aback by the messy handwriting, but drew to the conclusion that it was not Elena's handwriting.

The note read,

_First Ultrasound:_

_Elena Gilbert_

_Approx. 5 weeks pregnant_

_Sex (of the child): Unknown_

_Ultrasound appointment: June 15_

_Location: Las Vegas General Hospital_

* * *

><p>A quiet sigh escaped his lips. He would never be the one to see the peanut-sized child on the screen, hear the heartbeat as he held her hand, find out the sex of the baby, or even watch the newborn be welcomed into the world.<p>

Damon felt lost in his own mind, his own body. He felt imperfect without his other half, the love of his life. She was off living her life, having a child. A child that wasn't his, or so he believed.

Picking up the jacket, he placed the paper into the pocket and walked out of the bathroom. His feet ventured towards the waiting room, expecting faces to be glaring at him. But he was shocked when he found that the room was empty, except for various strangers whom he had never met.

Pushing his jaw up, he continued walking down the hall, trying to find a pastime. To his left were various rooms where the doctors and nurses would take shifts for rest. And to his right were patient rooms and more patient rooms. But before he could continue on, his feet halted in front of one room; Jeremy's.

* * *

><p>Matt's feet shuffled across the floor tiredly. He was on 'Elena Duty'; making sure she didn't wander off or get hurt. Honestly, he believed that she would be pissed for them treating her like a child, but she, herself, was just barely a grown person.<p>

"She's only twenty for crying out loud." Matt muttered before wandering into the cafeteria. He needed a pastime, and food seemed like the best idea in his mind.

Just as he worked his feet under the table, he brushed a hand through his hair, glancing up to catch the sight of a familiar brunette picking at her food. Matt's eyes lit up.

"Found you." He said, playfully poking her shoulder as he walked up to the table she was occupying.

He was taken aback when she glared in response.

She lightly snickered before returning to picking at her plain salad. Matt took a seat opposite from her, his eyebrows knitted together in confusion, "Aren't you hungry?" His eyes were filled to the brim with the yearning for food.

Elena glanced up, pushing her salad towards him, "You can have it, I need some pickles." He chuckled before she continued on, "These cravings are like the ups and downs of a rollercoaster ride."

His laughter erupted, causing him to lightly choke on the salad his had just consumed. Clearing his throat, he asked, "Where's Damon?"

She stood up, walking towards the close counter. Looking for pickles, she spoke louder, "I honestly do not care."

His smile was flipped upside down at her words. Matt had high hopes for the pair. Hell, he even still had a year-old bet for Damon and Elena to get together.

"There goes six hundred dollars." He mumbled before continuing to chew on the salad in his mouth.

Moments of silence passed before Matt nearly jumped clear out of his skin when Elena called out, "Found them!" She proudly held up a small jar of pickles that were stashed away in the far corner of one of the counters.

* * *

><p>Jeremy's eyes lightly fluttered open to the semi-lit room. His eyes narrowed as he tried to figure out where he was.<p>

Suddenly, there were light shuffles, causing him to look warily around the room, "Hello?"

The figure hesitated before stepping forward into the patch of light that was shining down from the overhead illuminations.

Jeremy weakly tried to push himself up onto his elbows to see the person better, but was stopped by a cold hand being placed below his neck.

"You just woke up, lay back down." The voice firmly instructed.

Jeremy was beyond confused, but still he obeyed, laying his head back onto the pillow. "Where am I, Damon?"

Damon pulled a chair up next to the hospital bed, and then gave a pitiful look towards Jeremy, "The hospital."

"Why?" Jeremy gasped. His mind was in bits and pieces, still trying to piece everything together bit-by-bit.

His head tilted to the side as if he was expecting Jeremy to say that he was joking. Then, the realization that his head was practically cracked open came into play.

_Don't tell him just yet._

He shook his head lightly, "Doctor said no sudden explanations. We have to let your mind figure it out."

Jeremy shook his head, letting a laugh escape, "What are you talking about?"

Damon's eyes narrowed, "What year is it?"

His eyes seemed lost as he tried to figure out the year, "2010."

Damon sadly looked down, putting his face into his hands, "Jeremy," He paused, trying to figure out how to put it gently, "It's 2012."

* * *

><p>Nearly half an hour had passed, and Damon was still helping Jeremy to remember the memories he had lost.<p>

Suddenly, Jeremy put a hand up, signaling Damon to halt, "Does Elena still dislike you?"

Damon's eyes narrowed before he looked towards the window, "Yeah."

He sighed before gently sitting up further, "Why?"

Damon shifted in his seat, feeling the pang of sadness in his heart, "I screwed up."

"How so?" Jeremy asked, curiosity taking the better of him.

Damon glanced up to his dark eyes, seeing the similarities between Elena and him. It almost made him leave the room, but he knew that Jeremy needed someone right now.

"She's pregnant, and claims the child is mine." Damon snickered towards the end, the memory of the day flashing in his mind.

Jeremy shook his head sadly, "You don't believe her?"

Damon was immediately surprised at how calm he was about the whole situation. He shook his head, "No."

Jeremy immediately widened his eyes, "And why not? She's never seriously lied to you before, has she?"

The tip of the combat boot came into contact with the corner of the bed. Damon's eyebrows knitted together, thinking over what Jeremy had asked. His gaze was seemingly far away as he answered, "No, she's never lied to me before." He glanced up to Jeremy who had his arms crossed against his chest.

"Then what the hell are you doing here?" He pointed towards the door, "Go talk to her."

* * *

><p>Her stomach growled, keeping her up all night. Glancing towards the clock on the bedside table, she read the time aloud, "10:37 PM," She heavily sighed, "I'll never get any sleep." Elena's hand rested against her small bump. She was most definitely surprised by how fast the baby bump had progressively grown over the course of five weeks. Even though it was small, the bump was still precious in her mind.<p>

Sighing, she rolled onto her side to gaze towards the moon. But before the moonlight poured onto her face, she let out a small shriek, hand still rested upon her stomach. "Oh my god!" She screamed. Unfortunately for Elena, there was no one in the house to come rushing to her aid.

Her eyes widened, hand rested against her chest, "You scared me." She placed a hand over her eyebrows as to block the bright moonlight from her sight.

"That's my job." The figure sarcastically said before stepping off of the window bench.

She flipped her head around towards the pillow before her muffled voice said, "Go away, Damon."

He sighed, "I need to talk to you."

Elena glared towards him through the dark strands of hair that had fallen across her eyes, "Now you want to talk?" She bitterly hissed.

Damon took a step back as to give her a more expanded comfort zone, "Elena, I talked to Jeremy-" Before he could get another word out, he was interrupted by Elena.

"Jeremy woke up?" She threw the blankets off of herself to stand, not realizing that she had only a pink bra and short-shorts on at the moment.

Damon's eyes nearly fell from their sockets as he glanced up every part of her body that was visible. Taking in a deep breath to calm himself, he looked at her stomach, "You're showing."

Elena looked towards her bare stomach, light gasping before she jumped back under the covers, "Yeah, why do you care?"

In his mind, it registered as a challenge. And being who he is, without a moment of hesitation, he slid under the covers with her, just as they used to before the Vegas trip when they were still close friends. She instinctively scooted herself away from him, fearing that he would do something to her, or yet, her unborn child.

The pang of pain he felt from her sudden action resulted in him wrapping his arms around her, causing her to stop any further movement. "Elena, you mean the whole world to me and I become this shell-of-a-man when you are hurt. I am sorry for the mistakes I have made, and I promise not to repeat them and try not to make any new ones in our future.

I am trying to improve on the bad qualities and habits I have, which hurt you. You are the love of my life. For the mistakes I have made, I am learning the hard way. All of it taught me something; what it would take for me to be the best man in your life," He paused, resting his hand against her small baby bump and his other hand entwined with hers, "as well as a better father to our child."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **

**Next Chapter:**

**Jeremy comes home, trying to further remember the memories he lost with Bonnie by his side.**

**Caroline and Tyler continue talking about their future and adopting a baby.**

**Damon and Elena cuddle and maybe even go a little further, after saying the names for their child.**

**Remember; Your reviews are my inspiration to keep writing.**


	14. The Ugly Truth

**A/N: Sorry I took forever to update!**

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><p><em>Previously in Lover Come Back…<em>

Suddenly, there was a small scraping noise. Glancing down, he saw that it was a folded piece of paper. With curiosity set in mind, Damon bent over to pick it up. The pads of his fingers lightly caressed the smooth surface as he held it in his hands, yearning to open it.

The note read,

First Ultrasound:

Elena Gilbert

Approx. 5 weeks pregnant

Sex (of the child): Unknown

Ultrasound appointment: June 15

Location: Las Vegas General Hospital

Jeremy's eyes lightly fluttered open to the semi-lit room. His eyes narrowed as he tried to figure out where he was.

"What year is it?"

"2010."

Damon sadly looked down, putting his face into his hands, "Jeremy," He paused, trying to figure out how to put it gently, "It's 2012."

"All of it taught me something; what it would take for me to be the best man in your life," Damon paused, resting his hand against her small baby bump and his other hand entwined with hers, "as well as a better father to our child."

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 14: The Ugly Truth<strong>

Elena's eyes grew wide, "I-I…" She thought long and hard, fluttering her eyes shut, "I love you."

The smirk evident on Damon's angel-crafted lips grew immeasurably so, wrapping his arms around her. "I love you with every ounce of my heart."

_You're getting soft, Salvatore._

* * *

><p>The nurse stepped out of the room, clicking the door shut. She smiled sweetly towards Bonnie who was currently filling out paperwork.<p>

"He's all packed and ready to go." She drawled in a sweet, Southern accent.

It was at this time that Bonnie received a well look at the nurse whose salty-white hair was clumsily pulled back into a bun, the large, gold-rimmed glasses far down on the bridge of her nose. Her eyes were weathered, yet still had a glint of exhilaration present.

Bonnie sighed, for the nurse who looked like she had been through years of this profession, looked more put together than herself. Glancing over to the mirror on the far wall, she cringed at the sight. The strands of her hair were jutting out in every direction possible; her shirt was stained with the mascara that had seeped from her eyes.

_Blagh._

The nurse chuckled before walking down the hall to assist with a surgery after being called by a fellow nurse, leaving Bonnie to ridicule her reflection as she finished up the last of the paperwork.

* * *

><p>The wheelchair was unnecessary, but Bonnie had a moment of pure panic when she caught sight of Jeremy struggling to walk away from the hospital bed. She listed many reasons as to explain to him, trying to slither her way around the common explanation, which made more sense, that he was too weak. She knew that Jeremy hated being called feeble, especially by a female; his self-esteem would have plummeted.<p>

The wheelchair's wheels were squeaking slightly as she wheeled him up to the passenger door. Her hand reached for the handle on the door, only to be pulled away by Jeremy's eager hands.

She shot her glance down to him, seeing him utterly determined to do this by himself. Bonnie nodded, stepping back a few steps. She watched as he carefully pulled open the door and had begun to stand up from the wheelchair. She immediately lunged forward, prepared to catch him. Jeremy lightly glared towards her, his lips pursed.

"I can do this, Bonnie. I'm not _that_ weak." He winced at the word. Carefully, he slid into the passenger's seat, watching Bonnie from the window.

She struggled putting the wheelchair into the car, Jeremy stifling multiple laughs as he watched her shove and push the wheelchair in every angle. She had even resorted to pushing with her back as she pressed her feet against the near lamp post. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see him masking the laughs.

Feeling utterly defeated, she quickly rolled the wheelchair back into the hospital. Once Bonnie returned to the car and was safe in her seat, she said with a dangerous glint in her eyes, "If you hadn't just come out of the hospital, I would be putting you back into one."

The car ride to the hotel was dead silent.

* * *

><p>Upon arrival at the hotel room, Jeremy struggled to remember where his room was located. "It's like my mind is keeping certain memories from me." He stated as he strolled through the room, his fingertips grazing the surface of each counter.<p>

Bonnie sighed before lightly resting her hand on his forearm, "Jer," He turned his head towards her, "Do you want me to show you your room?" He smiled before gratefully nodding.

Their feet shuffled down the small hall in the suite, Bonnie walking behind Jeremy in case he tumbled. His palm was pressed flatly against the wooden door to his room, hesitation brimming him. Inhaling sharply, he pushed the door open. The curtains on the window were flowing with the light breeze. As the wind brushed over him, he shut his eyes, letting the memories flow over him.

One foot inside and one out, he wanted to stay put, to not wreck the moment. But that was too much waiting for Bonnie, "Go on." She smiled, trying to lighten the mood. His eyes fluttered open before he ventured to the bed.

* * *

><p>"What do you remember?" Bonnie's head was rested upon her folded hands, her legs cascading over the side of the bed.<p>

Jeremy's eyes were shut once more, trying to dig up the lost memories. He sighed, "Not much," Feeling defeated, he opened his eyes to glance towards her, "Tell me, why was I in the hospital?"

Reality came crashing down on her with the one, innocent question. She gulped, "You're head was cracked o-open."

Jeremy rolled his doe-brown eyes, "Thank you for stating the obvious," He playfully poked her shoulder, earning him a smile, "And how did I crack my head open?"

She rolled onto her side as to stare directly into his eyes, "The truth?"

"The truth." He confirmed.

She bit her tongue before choking out, "Damon forcefully dropped you to the ground."

* * *

><p>The thuds awoke Elena with a start. Glancing over her shoulder to the raven-haired love-of-her-life, her finger lightly tapped his arm.<p>

His eyes immediately shot open, "What's wrong?"

She smiled at his wariness before whispering, "I think someone is in Jeremy's suite." Damon strained his ears to listen carefully. The two nearly jumped from their skin by the sudden shouts.

"She's what?"

Elena pulled the covers over her head, "Is that Jeremy?" Damon nodded numbly, not realizing that she couldn't see him. She gulped, "Didn't you explain to him about me being pregnant?"

He nodded again before tilting his head to the side, "I told him when he woke up." The sudden realization that he was suffering from a severe case of amnesia dawned upon him. Sliding under the covers to peck her on the cheek, he whispered, "Be right back, kitten." And with that, Damon sped to the source of the sound, finding a feuding Jeremy pacing the floor with a saddened Bonnie whose face was in her hands.

He rapped his knuckles on the open door, feeling that he would be intruding since it was not his room. Jeremy shot his glare towards him, "What?"

He shrugged his shoulders, taking a step into the room, "What's with the anger, Hulk?" Bonnie glanced up with a 'this-is-not-the-time-to-be-joking' look.

Jeremy took a step forward, his eyebrows scrunched together, "Oh, you know, just the fact that some prick got my sister pregnant."

Damon frowned, glancing back and forth between the two before him, "You don't know who got her pregnant, do you?" Jeremy had a grim frown plastered to her curved lips as he shook her head.

He crossed his arms as the silence thickened, "Well, who is it?"

Damon inhaled sharply before taking a step back, fully expecting a blow to the jaw once more, "It's me."

* * *

><p><strong>(Elena's Point of View)<strong>

"You should really put ice on that." I purred, grazing my fingers over the forming bruise near his cheekbone.

He lightly scowled before tugging away, "That's what healing is for, Elena." I winced, for he almost never uses my full name unless he's either angry, horny, or thirsty. Or worse yet, all three. My eyebrows furrowed before I flipped onto my left side away from him, trying to take a small nap.

But before I could get a sliver of sleep, the sudden thudding jolted my eyes open. Damon clearly felt my entire body tense, for his arms wrapped around me, flipping me back towards him.

"What's wrong? Is it the baby? Are you in any pain?" The questions poured from his lips as his eyes widened.

Shaking my head, I asked, "Can you hear the baby's heartbeat?"

He tilted his head until his gaze dropped to my hands which were placed on my stomach. Glancing back up to me, he didn't speak a word until he slid down the mattress, softly removing my hands so he could listen better. Moments passed, and I could feel the small knots forming in my back. I was tired and slightly agitated from waiting. Unbeknownst to me, he was savoring the sound of his baby's heartbeat.

Feeling ignored, I poked his shoulder, not caring if he was having a fatherly moment. His blue eyes glanced up to mine, making me immediately gasp. It was the first time since God-knows-when that I've seen him shed tears, in front of me.

All of a sudden, he used his unfair advantage of speed to lay his head back on the pillow within milliseconds, staring deeply into my eyes as his forehead rested against mine.

The words seemed to be from the heart which must have been warming up to the idea of being a father, "I love you, for if you ever leave, I will miss you like the sun misses the flower in the depths of winter. Instead of beauty to direct its light to, the heart hardens like the frozen world your absence would banish me to. My love, I will be forever yours." As I was recuperating from the Love Lala Land, he wrapped his hand around the back of my neck, bringing me in for a deep, passionate kiss.

* * *

><p>The moonlight poured down on us as we swiftly removed each others articles of clothing; tearing and ripping was the preferred method that night.<p>

The morning quickly came and went in a breeze as the two ventured about the hotel room with their everyday activities. Of course, Elena was more in a different world for not living there, but Damon kept her on the right tracks by giving her easy tasks that involved zero lifting and no hard labor.

"Aiden." She sang as she walked into the office that Damon was currently filling out various paperwork. Elena wondered why he was doing paperwork in Las Vegas, but yet again, he was Damon Salvatore; he could do anything and still have a cool persona.

He glanced up, flashing a greeting smile, "Aiden?" He directed his gaze back to the papers.

She flopped into the closest chair, "Yes, Aiden. I went to the nursery in the hospital, and this nurse let me hold the most adorable baby boy there. His name was,"

Damon cut her off, "Aiden." He glanced up to flash a crooked smirk.

Elena nodded before tasting a name out, "How do you like Aiden Salvatore?"

He immediately jumped to his feet, slamming his hands on the desk, "What's wrong with Damon Junior?"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Reminder: Even though Matt is not mentioned in this chapter, everyone is in the hotel suite, sleeping. I have edited the previous chapter as well.  
><strong>**Next Chapter:**

**Caroline and Tyler continue talking about their future and adopting a baby.**

**Damon defends his 'Damon Jr.' name in which Elena refuses to name their child**

**Alaric takes a still-feuding Jeremy out for a drink where secrets are told**

_**I don't like using this, but:**_

_**Remember; 5 more reviews or no next chapter. **_

_**It pains me to write that. I need inspiration, people!**_


	15. Prowling Eyes

**A/N: Drama, drama, and even more drama this chapter!**

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><p>By the time her eyes cracked open, the morning sun was far up in the sky, shining its rays down upon the Vegas world. The sudden emptiness was tearing at her heart, and at first, she had no clue why she was feeling it. Elena's arms stretched skyward, her fingers wiggling with unsettled excitement for the upcoming day. Drawing her arms back down, she tossed them to where the raven-haired, sex god should be sleeping soundly. But to her utter disappointment, her arm blatantly hit the sheets, alarming her immediately.<p>

Did he honestly leave her once again? Her eyes wandered the room for a moment, not seeing the love of her life anywhere in the suite. She was so lost in the search for answers as to where he had left to, that she did not even realize the sound of the shower shutting off. The rush of the water was so soothing to her ears that she did not even bother to fully acknowledge it.

Bonnie shook her head at the thought of Jeremy passing out on her bed, resulting in her to use Elena's shower as to not wake him up. Stepping out of the shower, she swiftly dressed in a deep purple summer dress that she had grabbed from her own luggage. She then threw the bathroom door open and stopped when she saw Elena frantically looking around for Damon, "What's the matter?"

Elena nearly jumped from her skin by the sudden voice that filled the room. She snapped her head towards the voice, fully expecting him to be standing there, arms crossed over his chest with a wicked smirk plastered to his lips. But, yet again, she was disappointed by the greeting face of her friend. "Hi, Bonnie. You didn't happen to see Damon, did you?" She asked, getting straight to the point.

Bonnie shook her head, "Nope. When I came in here, you were by yourself."

Elena sadly nodded, her fingers lightly caressing the ivory sheets.

Bonnie immediately sat down, feeling prepared to tell her best friend about something that had been deeply bugging her ever since returning from the hospital, "I really need to tell you something."

She glanced over to her, her eyes questioning, "Yes?"

Her eyes immediately averted away from her gaze, "I had a vision."

* * *

><p>Damon shifted in his seat, wondering where in the world Elena was, for he had left her a note on the bedside table. He read the note aloud in his mind,<p>

_My love,_

_I've gone out to pack my bags. _

_Meet you at the airport at 10:30._

_Damon_

The tip of his boot was nervously tapping out a broken rhythm, trying his hardest to steer away from the thoughts that she was kidnapped, or hurt, or lost. He shook his head, "She'll be here, she'll be here."

Glancing over his shoulder to do a head count of the entire group. "1…" He glanced to Matt, "2…" Then to Tyler, "3…" And finally, his eyes stopped on Caroline. The piercing blue ocean grew wide as he realized that they were missing four people. "How the hell do you lose four people?" He sarcastically asked himself before hissing towards Caroline.

"What?" She bitterly hissed back, eyes boring holes into his. He wanted to wipe that grim frown from her lips, to make her a fun person, but now was not the time.

Straightening his back he asked, "Where's everyone else?"

She glanced around, now fully aware that they were missing people, "They're probably in the back. We just can't seem them is all." She shrugged her shoulders before placing the headphones onto her ears to watch a film.

Even with the added suggestion, he still kept searching the perimeter around him for the familiar faces. Caroline glanced up, seeing him frantically searching still. Rolling her eyes she hissed, "Will you sit down in your seat? They're fine."

Defeated, he sat back down into his seat, now twiddling his thumbs to keep the thoughts of them away.

* * *

><p>"Caroline," Tyler whispered, softly nudging her arm, "Are you awake?"<p>

Her eyes fluttered open, "Now I am." She removed the headphones, placing them onto the tray before her.

He rolled his eyes at her grumpy response before smiling, "Aaron and Leah." The foolish smile playing on his lips grew wider.

"What?" She asked, eyebrows raised.

He chuckled, "If we have a family, we should name our kids Aaron and Leah."

Caroline bit her lip, her cheeks turning a shade of red to stop herself from crying, "Even if they aren't really ours?"

He wrapped his arms around her, "No matter what, they will be ours, even if they are adopted." It was at this time that Caroline let a tear fall down her cheek, not caring if the person sitting next to them was staring at them like they were legally insane. This was the moment she had been dreaming of ever since she was a small girl playing house with her mother, the blonde braids cascading down the front of her shoulders as she smiled up to her mother.

* * *

><p>Alaric wrapped his arm around Jeremy's shoulder, his vision blurring, "Do you know what dime it is?" His grammar was long since shredded ever since he had consumed the first glass of alcohol.<p>

Jeremy's head was resting against the bar, his cheek smooshed against the wood, "I don't wanna know."

At the time, Alaric's attention span was that of a two-year-old's. Leaning in to whisper into Jeremy's ear, you could smell the alcohol on his breath, "I have a secret."

Jeremy glanced up, a hiccup escaping his lips, "What?" His hand wrapped around the glass of whiskey before downing it completely.

Alaric chuckled after nearly tumbling off of his stool. He rested his elbows on the counter, "I have a drinking prueblem." His face grew serious as Jeremy started laughing uncontrollably.

"Everyone knows that." Jeremy gathered himself before saying, "If we're sharing secrets, then I have one to tell," He inhaled sharply, "you."

Alaric nodded, urging him to continue. Jeremy sighed, "I've always liked Derek and Elena together forever," He nodded, "But not Stephanie. He's a no-no."

Alaric tilted his head to the side, "Who's D.." He hiccupped, "Derek?"

Jeremy let out a laugh, "I dunno."

There was silence, besides the two sloppily trying to find the counter, Jeremy eventually falling off his seat before having Alaric pull him back up.

Alaric's eyebrows knitted together, "Hey," He slapped Jeremy forearm, "Hey, isn't Elena having a baby?"

Jeremy thought for a moment, "No, I don't think so." He combed his hand through his hair, accidentally touching the stitches on his head.

* * *

><p>Elena's body stiffened upon the words, "About what?"<p>

Her eyes glanced over to her friend, "There were multiple visions. It seems the witches have taken a liking to your child. The visions tell me that your child will be the first of his or hers species," She scooted closer towards her, "Your child will be the most beautiful to ever walk the face of the earth."

Elena smiled, "You've seen him or her already?"

Bonnie nodded , "But I'm not going to wreck any surprises for you, so no asking what the sex of the child is." She winked before grabbing her hand and leading Elena to her room. "I'm going to need your help with packing."

* * *

><p>"I have to pee so badly." Bonnie whined, crossing her legs over one another.<p>

Elena chuckled, folding the last of Bonnie's shirts, "Then go." Bonnie didn't even hesitate to run to the bathroom to relieve herself, leaving Elena to finish up the packing.

The sun shone down on the bed, illuminating every article of clothing within the bag. Once she had finished, Elena laid down on the bed, her hand lying limply across her stomach.

"What a morning." She smiled. But the peaceful moment was interrupted by the buzzing of a nearby cellphone. Looking around, she located the phone, picking it up to read who it was from. Elena began to feel nosy, until she read the familiar name that was flashing on the screen. Head tilted to the side, she clicked the 'accept' button, reading the text that he had sent to her best friend.

_New Message from:_

_Stefan_

_I miss you so much. I can still remember_

_that beautiful night eight weeks ago. My love, I shall see _

_you soon._

_-Stefan_

Elena's entire body tensed after doing the math in her head. "Eight weeks ago. We were still dating."

Just as the words slipped from her lips, Bonnie rushed out of the bathroom exclaiming, "I just realized that Jeremy isn't sleeping in here. Where the hell is he?" She crossed her arms over her chest, looking around the room for any clues as to where he could be, completely oblivious to the fuming Elena before her.

"You slept with Stefan?"

* * *

><p>Elena's feet thundered back to her room, slamming the door shut and locking it. She walked up to the bedside table to grab the box of tissues, but was immediately greeted with a note that was entitled to her.<p>

Ripping it off of the table she read it to herself, eyes growing wide with each word. Snapping her head over to the clock on the wall, she gasped, "No! It's 10:40!"

* * *

><p>The rush to the airport was hectic as Elena's taxi was being pursued by Bonnie's taxi, for she was determined to truly apologize to her best friend. Feeling ashamed of herself, Bonnie began to quietly sob in the back of the taxi. She knew that her friendship with Elena would never be the same again, she had messed things up from the moment she crawled into bed with Stefan.<p>

"How could I have been so stupid!" She slammed her first against the seat of the taxi, causing the driver to worriedly glance into the mirror.

"Try not to beat up my car, lady." He hissed, drawing his attention back to the road.  
>"Just drive!" She yelled back, mascara streaking down her face.<p>

* * *

><p>Upon arrival at the airport, Elena grew aware of the frantic Bonnie chasing after her.<p>

"Elena, please! Stop!" She called out, dodging countless rolling luggage.

Elena glared over her shoulder, "Just stop following me!" She handed the stewardess her ticket before boarding the plane. Bonnie then handed her ticket to the stewardess, following directly after her. Once she spotted Elena in her seat, she made her way towards her, taking the seat next to her.

"Please," She sobbed, "I'm s-so sorry."

Elena shook her head, "It's too late."

A tall man with a potbelly came waddling up to the aisle next to them, "Excuse me," His deep voice said, "I believe you're in my seat." Bonnie glanced up, immediately horrified at the man's ghastly appearance. She looked towards Elena a final time before standing up and walking towards her correct seat seven aisles towards the front.

Elena sadly glanced out the window, both girls completely oblivious that the plane was flying to New York.

* * *

><p>Once both girls were walking out of the airport, it was at this time that they realized, as they stood mere feet away from each other, that they were not in Kansas anymore. Oh no, they were in a far bigger world now. A world that they had never even dreamed of flying to, let alone by mistake. The skyscrapers towering into the sky in the neighboring city caught their attention as they gawked at their surroundings.<p>

"Where are we?" Bonnie whispered.

Without realizing it, a businessman walking by, who was quite obviously a vampire, had overheard her. He tapped her on the shoulder, flashing a slightly uncomforting smile, "New York City," He pointed towards the city with the tall buildings, "The Big Apple."

Elena closed her eyes, "_Great_."

* * *

><p>The airplane had landed, leaving Damon to frantically wait for the four faces to come bounding off of the plane. He wanted to hold his love, for he hated being so far away from her. Inhaling sharply, the crowd exiting the plane began to slim down to the last people leaving.<p>

He rushed over to the group who were grabbing their luggage, "Did you see them?"

They looked over their shoulders, "No."

His head began to spin before he reached into his pocket to grab his phone. Punching in her number, he clicked the 'send' button, waiting for the sweet voice to fill his ear. But he was utterly disappointed by a sudden surprise.

"Ello?" The voice slurred.

Listening carefully, he knew exactly who it was, "Jeremy?" His eyes narrowed, "Why do you have Elena's phone?"

Jeremy pulled the phone away from his ear, examining it closely. His head tilted to the side before he put the phone back to his ear, "I don' know."

Damon sighed before saying, "Is Alaric there with you?"

Jeremy nodded before handing the phone off to Alaric, "It's for you."

Alaric took the phone, "Hello?"

Damon cleared his throat, "Ric, Elena and Bonnie are missing. I called the hotel and they said that they already checked out."

Alaric immediately straightened his back, slightly trying to sober up, "Where are you?"

"Virginia." He replied, eyes saddened.

Alaric sighed, "So we're practically all in different places. This is just marrr-velous," He stood up, slinging Jeremy over his shoulder, "We'll be there in a few hours." He then ended the call before walking towards the elevator.

"Whatta you doing?" Jeremy asked, his face turning red from the blood rushing to his face. Everyone in the lobby looked at them as if they were nutcases.

"Shh." Alaric hissed, "There's no way in hell that you'll be able to walk after having that many drinks," He clicked the elevator button, "And I thought that I was the one with the drinking problem."

* * *

><p>Driving back to the boarding house, Damon stopped the car in front of the home. Frustrated with the outcome of everything, he put the car in reverse and decided to do an investigation himself. With a plan set in mind, he began to drive to the local phone store.<p>

Pulling the door open, he examined the room, seeing only one employee and virtually no customers in sight. Smiling wickedly, he walked up to the employee, preparing himself for what he was about to do.

"Excuse me," He practically gripped the man's gaze with his own; his pupils enlarging before going back to their normal size, "You will show me the phone records without any interruptions or refusals."

The man robotically nodded before walking towards the back room where there were countless computers and filing cabinets. "Whose records are you looking for?"

He thought for a moment, knowing that Bonnie must be with Elena, "Bonnie Bennett."

The man nodded, typing her name into the computer. His eyes searched the files that popped up, clicking on the correct name, then printing the various pages out. He grabbed the papers and pointed everything out to Damon.

"These," He pointed to the dates, "are the times that she took a call, texted, or received a text." He then pointed to the various locations, "And this is where she received them."

Damon nodded before taking the papers from his hands and compelled him one, final time, "You will not remember any of this or seeing me."

Sliding into the driver's seat, he looked over the records, "You're a popular one, Ms. Bennett." He mumbled before he came upon the last time she received a text message. His eyes nearly popped out of his skull, "New York City?"

* * *

><p>Bonnie sighed, glancing around as the two of them walked the streets of New York City. Getting a taxi at the airport was close to impossible, so when Elena began to walk, Bonnie followed right after her, concerned for her safety. After all, it was a big city with a lot of prowling predators.<p>

As they came upon a street jammed with traffic, Elena glanced to the side where there was an alley leading to another street. Shrugging her shoulders, she began to walk down the alley, Bonnie following. The alley is filled with the carcasses of mice and stray cats. Mutts sleep in the overturned trash cans that the two pass. Bonnie instantly feels alarmed as she can sense someone. The sudden idea of her phone came into mind just in case her feelings were correct. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out her phone, holding down the power button to turn it on. But to her disappointment, the phone was dead.

Elena was sensing the same as Bonnie was. Glancing over her shoulder warily, she could see Bonnie glancing down to her phone, but she seemed to have a shadow. Every time Elena glanced over her shoulder, the mysterious person would hide somewhere in the alley. He/she was, by far, too fast to be a human.

But after multiple times of looking over her shoulder, the person, obviously a man, began to continue walking without hiding, his face hidden because of him looking down. Both women tensed as he let out a muffled cough. Bonnie slid the phone back into her pocket, warily looking over her shoulder. The ghastly appearance of the man was enough to send shivers down her spine.

After reaching the middle of the alley, Elena quickly grew frustrated. Flipping her body around, she pulled Bonnie behind her, for even if she currently had a grudge against her, she still didn't want her to possibly die. The man stopped as they did.

Elena cleared her throat before calling out, "Are you lost?"

He shook his head, drawing his head up to look at them.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Bah, bah, bah! It got creepy there towards the end, didn't it? **

**Tell me your favorite part of this chapter in your review!**

**I don't want to give away the next chapter, so no clues. Sorry. **

_**Remember; your reviews are my inspiration to keep writing!**_


	16. Candle In The Wind

_Previously In Lover Come Back…_

"If we have a family, we should name our kids Aaron and Leah." Tyler whispered.

Alaric's eyebrows knitted together, "Isn't Elena having a baby?"

Jeremy thought for a moment, "No, I don't think so." He combed his hand through his hair, accidentally touching the stitches on his head.

After reaching the middle of the alley in New York City, Elena quickly grew frustrated. Flipping her body around, she pulled Bonnie behind her, for even if she currently had a grudge against her, she still didn't want her to possibly die. The man stopped as they did.

Elena cleared her throat before calling out, "Are you lost?"

He shook his head, drawing his head up to look at them.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 16: Candle in the Wind<strong>

"**We live as we dream-alone..."**

The two girls stood in their spots, Bonnie breathing heavily, Elena's eyes narrowing.

"I do believe that we've never met." The strong accent was pushing its way through as he glanced from Elena's doe brown eyes to her stomach.

The waves of threat and danger that were rolling off of him seemed to be hitting Bonnie directly in the face. Feeling threatened, she rushed in front of Elena, protectively, yet gently, holding Elena back.

Her lips were pursed together, her eyes dangerously narrowed as she hissed, "Identify yourself and your reasoning for following us."

The large hood draping over his face added to the creepy persona he was giving, making both girls shiver.

His lips twitched upwards to flash a menacing smile, "The name's Elijah Mikaelsen, and that child is the reason."

* * *

><p>The roar of the various planes' engines slowly started to fade away as Damon sped away in a Ford rental car. He had rolled his eyes when he had first caught sight of the car, but, truthfully, no car could fill the loneliness he was feeling without his beloved.<p>

After constantly stopping the car to ask any one walking the streets if they had seen the two, he continued driving, checking every alley, every street, every nook in the city. He needed the reassurance that she was okay, that she was breathing, that their child was unharmed.

Breathing in sharply, he pressed the pedal to the floor, using his keen vampire sight to quickly search the city once more.

* * *

><p>Caroline, Tyler, and Matt all sat in the boarding house, after using the spare key that was hidden beneath a rock out front. No one spoke a word, the silence choking every, single one of them.<p>

It was until the front door was thrown open that they all spoke out.

"What happened?" Matt stood up, sleep evident on his face.

"Did they find her?" Caroline choked out, holding back the tears of worry.

"Is everyone alright?" Tyler asked, his eyes widening.

Jeremy dropped the black bags at his feet, worry rushing through him. "I don't know what happened exactly. They must have boarded the wrong plane."

Caroline jumped up, "Where are they?"

Alaric cleared his throat, stepping into the parlor, "New York City."

The entire room was hushed; the shuffling of Jeremy's feet was the only noise as he took a seat on the parlor's wooden floor.

Caroline was in utter shock, "B-but it's dangerous out there. They could be hurt or k-" Tyler clapped a hand over her mouth, keeping her from saying the momentarily-forbidden word.

"We can't go around jinxing them." He whispered into her ear. She immediately pried his hand from her mouth, wiping her lips with her sleeve.

"I'm only saying the truth." She muttered, avoiding all eye-contact with him.

* * *

><p>He began to walk towards Bonnie, a dangerous gleam in his eyes, "You will hand her over and leave." He tried to compel, his eyes dilating.<p>

Bonnie shook her head, amused, "Won't work." Channeling her powers, she began to inflict pain upon his mind, almost as if giving him a giant headache. The sudden jolt of pain rushing through his head resulted in him dropping to his knees, gripping his head.

"Stop!" He spat, eyes darkening. She started to grow weaker; blood began to drip from her nose. Elena gasped, causing Bonnie to snap her attention towards her.

"Run, Elena! Run!" She screamed, forcing herself to continue the river of pain to him. Elena hesitated before seeing the urgency in her eyes. Her feet barely grazed the ground as she ran towards the street, fearing for her child. Bonnie's eyelids grew heavy, her powers slowly weakening. He was far too powerful for her to continue any longer. The world of darkness was beginning to creep up on her as the jolts of pain became feeble. Breathing heavily, Elijah stumbled to his feet, his eyes the darkest they had ever been. The bottoms of his boots thundered towards her before he lifted her near-unconscious body up.

"Now, now," He growled, "Where did she go?"

Bonnie weakly shook her head, the blood now flowing from her nose, "Go to hell." The blood had poured into her mouth, so she spat some of the crimson liquid into his face.

"You're no fun." And with that, he watched as she became unconscious and limp, her head slumping forward. Tired of the games, dropped her to the ground, not caring if he had hurt her, and he wiped the blood from his face.

"Oh, Elena!" He called out as he walked down the alley, whistling all along the way.

* * *

><p>She clutched her stomach, praying for a savior. The dark clouds lurking above hid the sun that didn't even have a chance to present its rays to the anxious humans below. Among those anxious humans was Elena, for she needed the sun to shine down on the dark, empty streets. She didn't care who she came upon; as long as they were help, they were welcomed.<p>

"Please! Help!" She called out, wincing at the sudden jolt of pain that came from her stomach. She glanced over shoulder just in time to hear the mocking voice of Elijah.

"Oh, Elena!"

The tears began to well up in her eyes, but she knew that she had to continue, for she was a fighter. She was not prepared to give up this easily.

Thick fog was blocking her view of the upcoming streets. She squinted her eyes as she came upon the fog, not being able to see a few feet in front of her.

The slow, menacing thudding of boots behind her shook her nerves, causing her to pick up her pace. The pain in her stomach grew until she came upon a fire hydrant. Leaning against it, she took a few breaths, skimming the view of the streets as the fog began to very slow dissipate.

The thudding from behind her grew closer and closer.

Looking up to the sky, she begged, clutching her stomach, "Please."

As if it were a sign from the Man upstairs, two bright lights began to appear from in front of her. The lights grew closer at a rapid speed, giving Elena only a few seconds to jump into the street, swinging her arms around like a maniac.

"Stop! Please! Help!" She screamed with all of her ability. The car continued to drive forward, resulting in her to shut her eyes, expecting the worst. Suddenly, she heard the screeching of tires and the sound of someone rushing to get out of the car.

She kept her eyes shut as she felt an icy hand on her shoulder. Her bottom lip began to quiver at the idea of Elijah finally being able to take her away.

"Elena?" A silky voice asked. The voice jerked her from her thoughts as she clicked her eyes open.

"Damon?" She frantically asked, not being able to see anything from the thick fog.

Two arms wrapped around her immediately, pulling her towards the car. His hand clapped over her mouth, "Be very quiet," Damon gently guided her to the passenger's seat, and the pain in her side grew when she took her seat, "I believe someone is following you." He took his hand from her mouth, flashing to the driver's seat and starting the car.

Elijah stood in the middle of the street, growling as he watched Damon drive away.

"Prick." He muttered before speeding away.

* * *

><p>Elena clutched her stomach as the pains climaxed. "Ow!" She bellowed, tears forming in her eyes.<p>

Damon's entire body tensed, "Are you in labor?"

She shook her head, "No, it's too early." The worst possible scenarios overcame them as to what else it could possibly be.

Seeing the worry overcome her face, he took her hand with his, "We should get you to a hospital."

She nodded before biting her lip to prevent from shouting out in pain.

* * *

><p>The doctor began to set up the emergency ultrasound equipment which would give them a better view of the baby.<p>

"What were you doing when you first felt the pains?" The doctor asked, his tone dead serious as he began to apply gel to her stomach.

She winced at the touch, even though it was soft, it was causing her pain, "I was running."

The doctor tilted his head, "Running as in jogging or full-speed running?"

Elena took in a sharp breath, "Full-speed." She squeezed Damon's hand to reassure herself that he was actually there. After what happened in Vegas, she never wanted him to leave her side again.

Leaning down, he lovingly and reassuringly kissed her forehead, "Everything will be alright." He whispered into her ear.

Her breaths became urgent and panicky, "You don't know that."

He shook his head, "Yes, I do because if you're a fighter than our child is a fighter."

The doctor immediately hushed them up by announcing, "We need the room quiet for the heartbeat."

The entire room was deadly silent as the doctor maneuvered the remote across her stomach, waiting for any sounds. After about fifteen seconds had passed, Elena began to quietly sob.

_My baby's dead. I killed my baby._

Damon's entire body tensed, the anticipation and worry brimming him. He felt like tugging his hair out just by the sounds of Elena crying; it made him feel utterly useless.

Just as the doctor was about to give up hope on the child, the world was once again surprised.

**Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.**

The two parents-to-be gasped in relief. The doctor chuckled, "The little guy loves to hide."

Damon bent down, pressing his forehead against hers and letting a single tear fall from his eye, "I love you both so much." She nodded, unable to form any words.

The doctor waited a few minutes before clearing his throat, "Would you like to do the ultrasound now?"

Elena glanced up to Damon, and when he nodded , she smiled towards the doctor. After setting everything up, he began to maneuver the remote once more across her stomach.

"Any bets as to what the sex will be?" The doctor smiled towards them.

Damon raised his eyebrows, "We both know it's a boy." Elena chuckled, wiping the tears away as the pains in her stomach grew less and less. Damon pulled a swivel chair up to the side of the patient bed, clutching Elena's hand.

The two looked on in awe as the beautiful picture of their child appeared on the screen, "And there's your child," The doctor proudly announced, "Would you like to know the sex for assurance?"

Damon glanced down to Elena and then nodded. The doctor examined the picture before stating, "It most definitely is a boy. Congratulations."

* * *

><p>Bonnie awoke, feeling a headache coming on. Yawning, she glanced around.<br>"Look who's up."

She snapped her head to the left, seeing a smiling figure in the seat. Immediately, she wrapped her arms around her, wanting to never let go, "God, Elena," She chuckled, "How long was I out?"

Elena laughed, "Long enough for Damon to find me running in the streets with severe stomach pains," Bonnie gasped, "take me to the hospital, find out everything was okay, and to know the sex of our child."

Bonnie sighed merrily, "I was out for a while, then," Her eyes grew wide, "You found out that you're having a boy?"

Elena nodded, flashing a smile.

Bonnie suddenly halted any further actions, "Wait," She glanced towards her, "You guys just left me in the alley unconscious?"

Elena bit her bottom lip, "Yeah, sorry about that."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: This was a short one, but I have so much make-up work to do. **

**Next Chapter:**

**Damon enforces bed-rest for Elena, in which she stubbornly refuses.**

**Alaric and the rest of the gang visit with a surprise in hand, which**

**quickly turns upside down.**

_**Remember; your reviews are my inspiration to keep writing!**_


	17. With A Little Help From My Friends

_Previously In Lover Come Back…_

His lips twitched upwards to flash a menacing smile, "The name's Elijah Mikaelsen, and that child is the reason."

"Run, Elena! Run!" Bonnie screamed, forcing herself to continue the river of pain to him.

Looking up to the sky, she begged, clutching her stomach, "Please."

"Stop! Please! Help!" She screamed with all of her ability.  
>"Elena?" A silky voice asked.<p>

"Damon?" She frantically asked, not being able to see anything because of the fog.

Just as the doctor was about to give up hope on the child, the world was once again surprised.

**Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.**

The doctor examined the picture before stating, "It most definitely is a boy. Congratulations."

She glanced towards her, "You guys just left me in the alley unconscious?"

Elena bit her bottom lip, "Yeah, sorry about that."

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 17: With a Little Help From My Friends<strong>

* * *

><p>His head was in a different state as he brought the glass of bourbon to his lips, drinking slowly, trying to think of something else than the crimson liquid that he had not consumed in nearly a week. The urge for blood was nudging him closer to the edge of snapping, and he most definitely did not want to shout at Elena. Ever since they had returned from New York City, he felt this tug deep within him to drink from her, but he knew that it would be a serious risk especially in her condition.<p>

Elena came pouncing down the stairs in her baby doll nightgown that clearly showed off her baby bump. As her eyes caught sight of Damon doing various chores, she started to lightly skip towards him, about to wrap her arms around him.

But before she could do so, he sped around to face her, a small glare on his face, "What are you doing out of bed?"

Her head tilted to the side, "What do you mean?" She wrapped her arms around the back of his neck, "I wanted to help you."

Her small smile dropped when Damon hissed, "I told you that you needed bed rest, and now you completely went against my orders," He pointed towards the staircase, "Go back to bed."

She shook her head stubbornly, "No, I want to help you."

He sighed, tearing her arms from his neck, "Fine," He hissed before tearing the list of chores in his pocket in half and giving the smaller half to her, "You can do these." He began to continue to clean the countertop.

She skimmed through the list before looking up to him, "Aw, you gave me the easier chores."

He turned around to glare at her, "This is your last chance before I sling you over my shoulder and carry your ass up those stairs." She winced before darting upstairs to get changed.

As quick as Elena could, she put on black, snug yoga pants, a deep purple blouse, and a pair of running shoes she had found in the black bag from the Vegas trip. She glanced around his room for a few brief moments, taking in every detail. The four-poster, wooden bed, large curtains draped over the main window, the wooden paneling on the walls, and to her right was the exquisite bathroom which held a white tub fit for two people, a sizable shower, and wooden flooring.

She lightly smiled at the dark persona that fit Damon exactly before rushing down the stairs once more. Once she came to the kitchen, she took out the list from her pants' pocket and read down the list.

_-Gather flowers from the backyard_

_-Wash the sink_

_-Get the newspaper_

_-Dust off the books in my room_

_-Put new towels on the towel rack in the bathroom_

She sighed, realizing that he had given her the much easier chores. Deciding to start from the bottom up, she walked upstairs into his bathroom, and over to the closet in the corner. Digging out two, fresh towels, she closed the closet door and walked over to the towel rack. She swiftly replaced the old with the new. Clapping her hands, she muttered, "Well we can cross that off the list."

Her eyebrows scrunched together at the idea of dust, but shrugged her shoulders before walking out of the bathroom and into the bedroom. Glancing around, Elena soon found the bookcase which must have held nearly fifty books. Most of them were historical books about Mystic Falls and Virginia, but one book immediately caught her eye.

"_Gone With the Wind_? Seriously?" She took the book from the packed shelf, not realizing that the book was nearly holding all of the books together. As soon as she had the books in her hands, the row of books tumbled to the floor, leaving a mess of dust.

She sighed before bending down to begin to pick them up one by one. Minutes later, she had the books neatly arranged on the shelf, proudly looking at the clean row, but knew that the other shelves still needed to be dusted off. Walking into the bathroom, she grabbed the duster from the closet and walked back to the bookcase.

Elena swiped the duster across one shelf, earning herself a good cough from the cloud of dust that resulted. Fearing that she would inhale the dust, she quickly swiped the rest of the shelves before walking back into the bathroom to wash her hands.

The rush of the water against her hands felt like heaven. These chores were more frustrating then she had in mind. Looking down at the list on the counter, she quickly crossed off the item.

* * *

><p>"What's the problem now?" Jeremy whined as he walked up to the group. The team had assembled at the colossal, outdoor mall. Bonnie trailed behind him, holding his hand.<p>

"We'll be surprising Elena with baby junk," Tyler answered before Caroline forcefully nudged him in the side, "_things_."

Alaric glanced around at the mall, "Does everyone know what they are assigned to get?"

Caroline nodded, "Jeremy and I are getting clothing and a changing table." Alaric quickly wrote it down on the piece of paper before turning to Tyler.

He thought for a moment, "Oh yeah, Bonnie and I will be getting the little tyke a stroller." Alaric shook his head, amused by his answer and turned his gaze towards Matt.

"You and I are getting the crib." He rolled his eyes, not too happy about their assigned item. Alaric smiled before announcing, "Alrighty, everyone split up!"

* * *

><p>Bonnie excitedly walked down the sidewalk, glancing from shop to shop, Tyler lacking behind her.<p>

She whipped her gaze to behind her, "Come on, Tyler! I can see the store just down the strip."

Tyler sighed before catching up to her, "Which store are we going to exactly?" He winced at the articles of baby clothing in the shops' windows.

Bonnie chuckled, "Baby Wonderland."

He immediately halted, his eyes wide, "No, nope. That store is hell."

She crossed her arms, glaring towards him, "You are going, even if I have to drag you there by your hair."

He pouted before muttering under his breath, "You're just like Caroline." By that time, Bonnie was already opening the door to the store, inhaling sharply in anticipation.

He had to run to catch up to her, and by the time he was there, he had to bite his lip from screaming in horror. It was mostly bright, pastel colors everywhere; on the walls, the clothing, even the cashiers' seemed to be talking to adults like they were communicating with a baby.

Biting his lip harder, he rushed over to Bonnie who was glancing at the walls of strollers. His eyes widened at the wide variety of strollers. She was awe-struck before she rushed over to a brown-blue stroller.

Tyler sighed, "That has two seats." There was a seat facing the person pushing the stroller and another facing the front.

She glanced over to him in a no-duh way, "One seat is for when he is a little baby, and the other is for when he gets a little bit older." She had a far-away glance on her face as she thought back to her vision of Elena's baby boy.

Tyler snapped his fingers in her face, "Earth to Bonnie," She glanced up to him, "Let's just keep looking."

She nodded before walking down the large aisle once more.

Tyler followed after her before catching sight of a stroller, "Bonnie, check this one out." He looked at every detail of the stroller in approval before Bonnie walked over.

She chuckled, "It's like the Cadillac of strollers."

He nodded, keeping his gaze on the stroller, "And it comes in black, so Damon will definitely approve."

She smiled as she looked at the stroller which was all black with small splashes of gray in the safety padding, it was lightweight, multi-position reclining, convertible harness that grows along with the child, one-hundred-eighty degree rotating canopy for shade, and the seat was also a car seat.

"Let's get it." He blurted out, grabbing the stroller and began to roll it towards the check-out line.

* * *

><p>"What is this place?" Jeremy asked, awe-struck by the size of the store.<p>

Caroline chuckled, throwing the door open, "Little World, it's the best baby store in the mall."

Half an hour later, Jeremy was rushing around the store, looking at the various clothing, "Look at this!" He held up a small, black leather jacket that was identical to Damon's.

"Oh my, you have to get that." Caroline said after glancing up from the changing tables section.

He nodded, throwing the leather jacket into the basket which held a mountain of clothing and made his way over to Caroline who had finally found the right changing table.

"Isn't this just so perfect?" She pointed to the dark, mahogany table that was decorated with black dots. He nodded before saying, "You should definitely get it."

She smiled, grabbing a box, "Oh, I am," She then held up a small pair of combat boots, "And these, I am definitely getting these."

By the time they had checked out, the two had paid a whopping total of nearly $250, paying with Jeremy's collected money and Caroline's birthday cash from previous years.

* * *

><p>Within the large, shopping mall, one pair, Alaric and Matt, were lost in the world of baby paraphernalia.<p>

"Why are there so many?" Matt choked out, glancing at the large room filled to the brim with cribs at the store, Cribs Inc.

Alaric shrugged his shoulders, "People go gaga over babies."

He chuckled before walking up to one crib, "What about this one?" The crib was a deep brown, with a light green mattress.

Alaric shook his head, "It's too bright."

He nodded before walking down the line of cribs, until an employee walked up to them, "May I help you?"

Matt nodded, "Yes, thank you. We're looking for a crib for our friends."

She smiled, "How nice of you. Any style or color you have in mind?"

Alaric stepped forward, "Dark colors, maybe Italian."

She thought for a moment before darting her pointer finger into the air, "Ah, we just had a crib imported from Italy. It is absolutely gorgeous."

Alaric smiled, "Perfect, may we see it?"

She nodded before directing them towards a section in the back, "Here it is." She pointed towards the crib that was breathtaking, "It is a wonderful expression between tradition and style. It is delicately carved with breathtaking designs. The wood is carefully painted with safe, black paint that is approved by our company as perfectly safe for children to bite on."

Matt tilted his head, "Bite on?"

She chuckled, "They go through a teething stage where they bite anything and everything because they are growing their first set of teeth," She glanced back to the crib, "The mattress provides exceptional support for the child, and it is by far the most comfortable crib we have in stock."

Alaric clapped his hands together, "We'll take it."

* * *

><p>After collecting the newspaper and washing the sink, Elena made her way outside to gather some flowers. She had no idea what the flowers were for, but she guessed that he wanted her to arrange them. Her feet shuffled towards the small patch where flowers, mostly roses, were thriving.<p>

Bending down, she lightly grazed the tips of her fingertips across the pedals of the roses. They were truly exquisite with their blood red pedals and dark green stems; quite a sight.

Carefully, she plucked eleven roses, but while plucking the final rose, she pricked her hand on a thorn.

She sighed, watching the river of blood ooze from her hand, "Every rose has its thorn." She winced suddenly, feeling lightheaded, "Ouch." She said, holding her head with one hand and the roses in the other.

Damon was inside, reading a book and drinking bourbon after finishing his half of the chores. Of course, he used the unfair advantage of the vampire speed to complete the laborious tasks. Sighing, he took a sip of the bourbon, inhaling sharply. As he inhaled, he caught scent of blood, not just anyone's; Elena's.

Panic immediately set in as he rushed to his feet and sped outside, finding her crouched down, holding her head and a group of flowers. He growled, seeing the blood smeared on her forehead. She hadn't meant to smear blood all over herself, she was just lost in the moment.

The vampire side of him was kicking in when he caught sight of the blood, and it was making him much more frustrated than before. "What did you do?" He snapped, causing her gaze to whip towards him.

"I cut my hand on one of the rose thorns." She murmured, afraid of him being angry.

He sped towards her, examining the cut on her hand. The hunger was dripping in his voice, "You have to be more careful, Elena!"

She winced at the anger in his tone, "I'm sorry." She stood to her feet before walking inside the house, leaving Damon to cool off. He immediately felt awful for snapping at her, but he couldn't help the hunger.

Speeding inside, he took his seat near the fireplace once more and continued his session of bourbon and a good book.

Elena kept wandering through the house, trying to gain his attention. After a while, she felt ignore, so she went to the next level. She slowly walked past him and near the staircase where she walked half-way up before purposely tripping. Her knee collided with the wooden steps, causing her to bite her lip from calling out in pain. He seemed to be lost in his reading to not even notice her fall.

Elena's mind immediately drew to the conclusion that he was sexually frustrated, even though she was far off target. Dashing upstairs, she dressed in the lingerie set that Damon had kept for when he compelled mindless blondes back in the day. She then applied make-up that highlighted her features. Smiling at herself in the mirror, she strutted down the stairs and into the parlor.

Seeing him reading the book immediately made her sigh. She slowly and quietly walked up to him, settling herself onto his lap, gaining his attention.

He glanced up, clearly annoyed, "What are you doing?"

She frowned, "I want to feel loved."

An immediate sigh escaped his lips, "Not now." And he gently pushed her off of his lap. Her bottom lip slightly quivered, thinking that he did not love her anymore. Rushing up to the guestroom, she locked herself inside. Damon kicked himself, for he knew that she was most definitely hurt by what he had done because he did not want to take out his hunger on her. Shaking his head, he continued to read his book.

* * *

><p>The entire team assembled in the mall's park, announcing what they got.<p>

"So we were all able to get what we were supposed to?" Alaric asked, glancing around. The duos all nodded.

Alaric clapped his hands, "Okay, let's go."

The pairs all boarded into their cars which were packed with the things they had bought. Caroline and Jeremy proudly glanced into the back of the car in which you could barely see the rear window, and then they all drove to the boarding house.

* * *

><p>Feeling as if he was in the worst possible mood, he consumed more and more alcohol. As the umpteenth glass of bourbon touches the rim of his lips, the doorbell sounded. Shaking his head, he ignored it and downed the glass, not leaving a drop unconsumed.<p>

Seconds later, the doorbell continuously rang, Caroline being too impatient to wait, so she kept her finger pressed onto the button.

His entire self-controlled snapped, "Elena, get the fucking door!"

Upstairs, Elena heard the anger laced in his tone. She hid under the covers, afraid to go downstairs. There was silence before one, final ring of the doorbell. Completely angered, Damon sped to the door, whipping it open, "What?"

The entire group's eyes widened, Caroline smirked, "Surprise!" The team piled in with their unwrapped gifts in hand, Damon still seething by the front door. He slammed it shut before making his way to the parlor where the group had placed their gifts.

"What is all of this?" He hissed, glancing at all of the paraphernalia.

Tyler chuckled, "It's for the little tyke."

Before Damon could reply, Matt stepped forward, "Could you show us to the nursery so we can set up all this stuff?"

Damon glared at him, "There is no nursery."

* * *

><p>After heading out to buy the materials needed, and with no help from Damon, the men of the group started to transform one of the many guestrooms into the nursery, while Bonnie and Caroline comforted Elena.<p>

"What's the matter?" Caroline brushed a hand through Elena's chestnut hair.

"H-he doesn't love me anymore." Elena choked out, her eyes burning from the unshed tears that were building up.

"Of course he loves you, Lena. You're having his child." Bonnie cooed, rubbing circles into her back.

Elena thought for a moment, "He has am awful way of showing it."

Caroline chuckled before lying down beside her.

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><p>After having a heavy debate about whether to paint the room black or a dark blue, the room was painted. The dark blue walls were still wet as they began to set up the crib, well, they attempted to set up the crib.<p>

"What did the directions say again?" Matt asked, holding two pieces of wood.

Tyler read the directions aloud, "Insert piece B into piece C."

Jeremy snickered, "How do you what's what?"

Alaric sighed, "There are two B's." He held up two pieces of wood.

Matt tilted his head, "Maybe there's a second C."

Damon couldn't take the bickering going on between the group of men, so he sped upstairs, "Let me see those directions." He had managed to cool down.

Tyler didn't hesitate to hand over the directions. Damon quickly skimmed through them, "It says right here that there are two B's and two C's." He looked around on the ground, "There are stickers on the wood, so look for the second C."

Jeremy looked at the piece of wood in his hand, "Oh, I have it." Damon took the piece from his hand before collecting the other three, and walking towards the pieces of the crib that were already put together.

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><p>"Okay, put the mattress in." Alaric instructed as they all proudly gazed upon the finished crib. Tyler and Jeremy lifted the mattress and carefully placed it in.<p>

The two stepped back, all five folding their arms across their chest in triumph.

Matt raised his hand for a high-five to Tyler, who slapped his hand against his. But just as the victory dances were about to begin, the creaking of wood sounded. All gazes were back on the crib just as it collapsed in a giant heap to the floor.

"Dammit." Damon hissed.

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><p>After they all consumed two glasses of their choice of alcohol, they pieced the crib back together, and carefully put the mattress back in.<p>

"Oh, please work." Jeremy pleaded.

Tyler crossed his fingers behind his back, hoping that it would stay together.

Minutes passed, each one of them holding their breaths.

Alaric smiled, "I don't think it's going to fall apa-" Just as the words left his lips, the creaking of wood filled the air and the crib collapsed once more, leaving them all to kick themselves in frustration.

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><p>Nearly two hours had passed as the girls walked down the hall.<p>

"I wonder what they've been doing all of this time." Caroline muttered as they came upon the closed door of the guestroom.

Bonnie shrugged her shoulders, "I hope it was something productive, and not just something stupid."

Elena chuckled in agreement before gripping the door handle and turning it. With one hand, she pushed the door open and was taken aback by what she saw.

The girls stepped into the room to find all five men sprawled in various spots across the floor, all drunk, and completely exhausted. But what mostly made them angry was the crib in the corner that was in a giant heap on the floor.

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><p><strong>AN:**

**This chapter was so much fun to write!**

**If you wonder where I get these ideas from, I use music (all instrumentals):**

**With a Little Help from My Friends by the Beatles**

**Time After Time by Eva Cassidy**

**Help Me Make it Through The Night by Elvis Presley**

**Next Chapter:**

**Somebody is watching over the Boarding House.**

**Elena keeps her distance from Damon, but when he asks**

**her about the man that was following her, she tells him**

**everything.**

**Elijah attacks someone.**

_**Remember; your reviews are my inspiration to keep writing!**_


	18. Don't Speak

**A/N: Thank you to everyone that reviewed last chapter. You guys are the best! Took some time to think about this chapter, so I hope you enjoy this one. **

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><p><strong>Chapter 18: Don't Speak<br>**

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><p>The lingering breaths from the shadowed figure twirled into the cool air, creating a cloud of mist to form near his curved lips. The tips of his eyelashes would close for mere seconds, savoring the sound of the heartbeats nestled inside the home of his rival. His arms ached to wrap around her small figure, bring her in close to his chest as he whispered loving words into her ear. But the dreams were thrown to the ground, shattering into millions of pieces as his eyes fell upon the raven-haired man, his rival, walking past the window that he had so carefully surveyed from his current location. The game was officially started, the game of cat and mouse, the game of the affections of the woman. Oh, how he could toy with another man's emotions, as well as self-pride just to win the heart of his companion.<p>

His brother had dearly and utterly failed him, so once the cannons roared, he was prepared to fully wage his war of shredding his opponent's skin from their skeleton.

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><p>Damon glanced over to the silent brunette, cutting freshly-picked carrots into miniscule pieces, placing them in a bowl by her side. Each time the blade of the knife slowly sliced through the middle of the carrot, bringing the blade ever so closer to the cutting board and then the echo of the blade being brought back up to begin slicing again, he would wince, watching her forceful movement as she took all of her previously-suppressed anger out on the carrots.<p>

The handle of the coffee mug, or blood mug as I should most likely say since the mug had never seen the likes of coffee before, must have begun to crack as he squeezed the handle forcefully each time his eyes would narrow, wincing at the cutting taking place in the kitchen.

Unbeknownst to Damon as he was occasionally glancing over to her, she was throwing a glance towards him as well. Once he would turn his head back towards the fireplace, she would dart her eyes to the back of his head, wishing to throw the knife to it just to gain his attention. Elena wanted to feel some form of affection, but she had reasoned with herself the previous night as she cried herself to sleep that he must be doing all of this ignoring because he did not want to harm her, for he had was trying his hardest not to drink from a living human, especially not her.

As the blade came into contact with the cutting board once more, she had found amusement in watching him visibly do a small wince, softly jolting his shoulders upwards, then glance over his shoulder to see if she saw him do so. But she would quickly avert her gaze away from his, and back to the cutting she was doing.

Neither Damon nor Elena, who were covertly yearning to show love towards each other, were aware that they weren't the only ones watching over one another. The man in the shadows seemed quite content with the current situation between Elena and Damon.

"As long as it makes it easier for me to get the girl." He hissed to himself, drawing the hood back over his face once more, and speeding away.

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><p>The padding of her bare feet against the wood was in harmony with the mumbling voices on the television in the far away living room as Bonnie rushed to turn the water pouring out from the spout off once more.<p>

"Not again." She whined, her fingers wrapping around the knob to force it off. The spout had been arbitrarily turning on throughout the day, forcing Bonnie to practically stay home in her pajamas, watching nothing but soap operas.

The sun was still far up in the sky when she walked back into the living room, her hands dripping. She quickly wiped her hands on the towel she had set out on the coffee table before sitting on the couch to continue her marathon of soap operas.

"Kenny just has to live," She popped a piece of popcorn into her mouth, eyes narrowed, "The show will be nothing without him." Her hand dived into the bowl once more, only to find the tips of her fingers colliding with the pit of the bowl. Bonnie peeked in, finding nothing but kernels. With a long sigh, she got to her feet and walked into the kitchen, only to find her face colliding with the hard chest of a tall, dark figure.

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><p>His head was about to explode, trying to think through every possible conversation he could strike up with her, only to find the piling cons that were bound to follow after he let one word escape his lips.<p>

_Suck it up, Salvatore. Stop being such a wuss._

His eyes narrowed, drawing in a sharp breath. This immediately caught Elena's attention as she used the blunt side of the knife to gather the pieces of carrots into the bowl. She had been running a list in her head of every conservation-starter that wouldn't lead to a fight between the two of them. Placing the bowl on the counter, she wiped her hands on the waist apron and started towards the parlor where her husband currently was.

Damon exhaled the breath he didn't even realize he was holding at the sound of her shoes against the wood flooring. The crackling of the fire was no longer a cover-up for his heavy breathing, the smell of her entered his system as he inhaled deeply, wanting more. His eyes darkened when they landed upon her pulse point as she took a seat on the neighboring couch, her hair pulled back into a ponytail.

She twiddled her thumbs for a few brief moments before glancing up, not entirely sure if this plan of hers was such a great idea. Clearly, telling by his eyes and sudden stiffening, he was about to lose control of his hunger.

The room fell silent, the crackling of the fire continuing. Elena's patience soon wore thin; standing to her feet, she made it half-way across the room before something gripped her back.

"I need to talk to you." He unexpectedly growled, his eyes anywhere but near her face, let alone her neck. A lump began to form in her throat as she walked back to where she had previously sat after he had released her.

Clearing his throat, he mustered all of his inner strength to look into her eyes, "The man that was following you," He growled inwardly, "Did he release any personal information, or were you only able to see his face?"

She straightened her back, trying to remember, "His name was…" She thought for a moment, "El…El…Elijah. Elijah Mikaelsen."

Damon's eyes grew a shade darker at the mention of the name, "I know for a fact that he was not acting on his behalf. He has an older brother named Klaus," He clicked his tongue in disapproval of the man, "Quite a nasty fellow, a vampire I might add, who does anything and everything to get his hands on something," He locked eyes with her, "Or someone."

The lump in her throat expanded, her eyes began to softly burn as her hand rested against her stomach, imagining the horrible things that Klaus would do to her child.

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><p>"Ello, my dear." He brushed a finger across her cheek, sending immediate shivers down her spine. She knew in her heart that this man was not to be trusted, especially since he was in her home, uninvited.<p>

_Uninvited._

Confusion immediately overwhelmed her, freezing her in the spot in which she stood as she tried to understand how he was in her home. "How? How are you in my home?"

He chuckled maniacally, "I have a few witches on my side as well. They worked around the invitation concept, allowing me into any home, little witch."

Bonnie froze, feeling utterly weakened. He knew about her paranormal status, which meant that he knew about her powers. "What do you want?" She hissed, backing up away from him until her back hit the wall.

He flashed a crooked smile as there was a soft breeze, revealing an equally-smiling Elijah by his side. "Oh, I just want a little thing called revenge." Her entire body tensed as Elijah flashed forward, drew her neck to the side and bit down into her artery.

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><p><strong>AN: And there you have it. I know that it is obscenely short, but after writing the last chapter, I'm not feeling the inspiration.**

**I need inspiration!**

**Next Chapter:**

**No, Bonnie does not go to the hospital, but someone has the power to heal her, and you may just be surprised as to who it is. Damon gives up and gives into the hunger, harming not only one person. After hearing what happened, Alaric has a flash of anger, gathering his vampire hunting equipment. Uh-oh.**

_**Quick the little button below and I will write the next chapter.**_


	19. Battle Scars

**A/N: While the finale was great, I still can't wrap my head around the idea of Elena being a vampire. The entire idea just seems so out-of-league right now. **

**Anyways, thank you to:**

**Bluestriker666, iloverandyortonwwefan23, DelenaBerryox, kaybaby1127, beverlie4055, and Black4Ink for reviewing last chapter.**

***Please read this before reading the chapter: Abby Bennett is a vampire, but she has channeled her witch powers. And Elena is still human!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 19: Battle Scars<strong>

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><p>The silence had grown, Elena's eyes the size of saucers, Damon waiting for her to speak, to show some sign of life besides her shallow breaths. After the active line was dropped, she had grown speechless, stuck in her own place, leaving Damon to ponder as to who called.<p>

Not being able to take the silence anymore, he caught her attention by clearing his throat. Her eyes darted to his face, wondering what he could possibly want; with his eyebrows risen, he asked, "Is everything alright?"

The humble question seemed to slap her across the face, back into reality. Jumping to her feet, she rushed towards the front door, grabbed the keys from the small bowl set on the table, and darted outside to her car. Panicking, as well as confused, Damon followed after her, reaching her car before she did. Standing directly in her way, she began to pound her fists against his chest.

"Move aside, Damon!" She nearly screamed, eyes beginning to burn. He shook his head, grabbing her wrists, feeling the sudden urge to drink from her rising to the surface as he caught a glimpse of her pulse point once again.

"What's wrong?" He asked with a necessary bitterness.

She bit her lip, stopping all the thrashing, "I need to go help Bonnie. She needs me; she's hurt." The words spouted from her lips were rushed, for she felt a strong connection to Bonnie that she was not ready to break. She was willing to help her friend through anything, for Bonnie was there through everything; Matt and Elena's break-up, Stefan's ripper stage, Damon being a complete douche, the Vegas trip, the pregnancy test, everything.

He immediately stepped aside, hearing the message hidden within. She wanted to be there for her friend by herself, but he knew that if anything wrong were to happen, he would be there in a flash, aiding her.

Their eyes locked as he caressed his fingers into the top of her hands, reassuringly before he released her. Elena hesitated as she opened the car door, losing her mind as she stared into his ice blue eyes. The man had a way of getting inside of her head, and knowing every bit of her. He knew when she needed to cool off, or when she needed time alone. Elena Gilbert finally realized that the man standing before her was her soul mate.

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><p>The ice blue eyes were locked onto the bumper of the car as the love of his life drove away, leaving him to stand in the middle of the driveway, without anyone to hug and say that everything was going to be alright. The sudden anger rose as he thought of someone hurting his precious angel, the angel that was afraid of him, of who he truly is. The angel that is petrified of him helping her friend, her dying friend. For once in his life, Damon was angered by the idea of her leaving him for good, turning her shoulder on him, leaving him behind for another man to raise their son with.<p>

He felt the invisible string of self-control snap, turning his eyes raven black, his fangs began to protrude from his gums as he licked his lips wanting to taste the sweet nectar that he had not consumed in nearly a week, the longest he had gone without fresh blood, the blood that would pour into his mouth as he tore into the artery of his victim.

Deep down, the fright of harming his angel rose before he took off into the night, never looking back over his shoulder.

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><p>The tires screeched to a halt before Elena jumped out of the car, and ran to the front door, frantically turning the doorknob, only to find it locked. Immediate panic set in as she rushed to the back door where she tried that doorknob, discovering it locked as well. The tears stung her cheeks, her fists colliding with the wooden door.<p>

"Please! Bonnie!" She called out, leaning her forehead against the door.

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><p><strong>(Elena's Point of View)<strong>

Without Bonnie, my life would seize to exist. She was my rock, my home, my advisor, my savior, my greatest friend. She was there for me when I had hit rock bottom, crawling up into a ball in my heart, only to be pulled to my feet by her as she smiled, "Everything is going to be alright, Elena."

The world seemed to stop spinning, my heart stopped beating, falling to the ground where it was cruelly stepped upon, my eyes fluttered shut, hoping that when I opened them once more she would be standing before me with open arms, ready to hug away all my problems and worries.

But when I opened my eyes, I was brutally met with the sight of the same door, still locked from the inside, keeping me from my savior. Just as my knees were about to give out, a voice in the near distance called out to me.

"Elena, is everything alright?" It must have been a savior sent from the Man upstairs, for when I turned my head towards the direction of the voice, Abby was standing before me, her eyes filled to the brim with worry. She had quite obviously had a motherly-feeling about her daughter, or something to do with her witch powers which I had believed were shut off when she completed the transition.

Wiping beneath my eyes, I rushed towards her, careful not to fall on the stray rocks on the ground. Once I was close enough for her to clearly hear me, I explained, "Bonnie, she tried calling me, but when I picked up, sh-she," I could barely continue before Abby sped to the front door.

Drawing her right shoulder back, she sped towards the closest tree and ran, full-speed, towards the door, determination in every step. Her shoulder collided with the door, bringing it forcefully to the ground. Looking over her shoulder, she signaled for me to wait a minute as she checked the house for any dangers.

Minutes had passed as I waited for her to come back out, but when she hadn't come back for me, I grew impatient and worried. Stepping inside the house, I took cautious steps towards the living room, where I could clearly hear the sobs from the kitchen.

"Bonnie! Wake up!" Abby bellowed, cradling her daughter's head. I stepped into the kitchen, finding a pool of blood near the wall where she was holding a pale Bonnie. Feeling as if I were to drop to my knees, I quickly went to Abby's side, frantically searching for the reason she was slowly dying.

My search stopped when I saw her hand lying limply on the floor, the cellphone used to call me loosely clasped in her hand. My heart skipped multiple beats at the sight of the phone, darting my eyes back to her pale face as Abby clutched her daughter close to her chest.

"Everything is going to be alright." She whispered as she brushed a few stray strands of hair out of Bonnie's face. The few words spoken brought back the haunting memory of Bonnie saying the same words to me in my deepest, darkest times when I believed that I had no purpose to live.

Abby looked towards me, locking our watery gazes, "I can hear a heartbeat, it's faint, but it's there."

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><p><strong>(Damon's Point of View)<strong>

I didn't feel like myself, wandering the streets, preying on innocent humans as they walked peacefully in the moonlight. All sense of time was completely lost as I locked my gaze on a young teenager; dark blue eyes and dirty blonde hair. A maniacal grin overcame my face, speeding to behind the young girl. She must have been barely a day over fifteen.

Licking my lips involuntarily, I clapped my hand over her mouth, feeling the screams being stopped as she thrashed in my arms. With her putting up quite a fight, I managed to drag her into the near forest, out of sight from any witnesses.

I pushed her neck to the side, revealing the throbbing artery that was begging for me to be bitten. With a crooked smirk and dark eyes, I plunged my fangs into her artery, immediately silencing her. She went quiet, and then completely limp as I finished draining her. Oh how I missed the sweet taste of blood running over my tongue and coursing through my system.

After disposing of her body, the sudden urge for something even sweeter overcame me. The first instinctual thought was how sweet the blood of a doppelgänger is.

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><p>Abby was lost in thought, thinking of how she could possibly save her daughter from leaving this world. Her head snapped up to Elena when she found the missing link, "Elena, I'll need you to leave. You'll have to get to some place safe; this may or may not work."<p>

Elena hesitated, searching Abby's face for reassurance before nodding and standing to her feet. As she came upon the threshold of the room, she glanced over her shoulder to see Bonnie being tightly held as Abby shut her eyes, beginning her plan.

Once she heard the car pull away, she carefully laid Bonnie on a blanket she had set out in the middle of the kitchen floor. Abby then laid twelve candles around her body, created a circle of salt and vervain, then rubbed crushed vervain onto the punctures on her neck before stepping back and closing her eyes. She waited a few moments before hovering her hands over her daughter's body, waiting for the connection from the witches.

After minutes had passed, Abby quickly grew frustrated and saddened. The tears began to flow once more, "Please, she can't leave this Earth like this! She doesn't deserve to die so young!" She begged, seconds away from collapsing to her knees. Once again, the room was filled with silence as the flickering of the lit candles were reflected onto her face, the tears shimmering in the light as they cascaded down her cheeks.

Before she realized it, the curtains of the open kitchen window above the faucet blew along with the stray wind that entered the room, gusting Abby's hair in every direction. The whispers filled the room, barely audible to human ears, but enough for Abby to hear. She snapped her head up towards the ceiling when she felt the sudden rush of power overcome her. The channeling of her powers had begun.

Raising her hands to the skies, she began to chant the words that were being placed into her mind by the almighty witches, her hair blowing in every direction.

She looked down to her daughter, her tears still flowing down her cheeks, "Give the child before me life, for she deserves to live, even so more than myself." The wind dialed down to a soft breeze as Abby collapsed to her knees before her daughter, the tears falling onto the floor beneath her.

One tear, one of many that she had shed for her daughter, slowly slid down her dark skin, onto her chin, then free-fell down, down, down until the liquid settled on Bonnie's cheek.

The world of darkness that was enveloping Bonnie whole finally faded away as the warmth of the surroundings overcame her. Gasping for breath, she snapped her eyes open, revealing a world before her where her mother was sobbing, clutching her daughter as she thanked the witches, Bonnie shaking in her arms.

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><p>Elena quickly drove to the boarding house, seeking shelter and safety, as Abby had instructed her to do so. As she came upon the driveway, she could immediately see a dark figure standing there in the middle of the driveway. Her heart began to race, her breathing shaky.<p>

The tires halted directly in front of the person, which Elena soon realized was Damon. She stepped out of her car, completely oblivious to the fact that his eyes were black in the moonlight. Walking up to him, she tried to look into his ice blue eyes, but found the night winning over her sight. With a sigh, she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him in close.

Damon nestled his face into the crook of her neck, inhaling the scent that was radiating off of her. With a contented sigh, his fangs began to protrude from his gums, wanting to taste the source behind the scent. She shivered beneath his touch as he brushed her hair aside, revealing her neck. Grinning maniacally, he bit into her artery, resulting in her screaming into the night. She began to pound her fists into his chest, but he was not fighting her back, for the more she fought, the more blood was poured into his mouth.

Minutes passed, and he still continued, weakening her beyond comprehension. The inner-self of Damon was fighting his hardest to gain control, fearing for the life of his love and child. With a final sob, Elena grew unconscious and limp in his arms.

Damon pulled away roughly, afraid that he would drink all of the blood, and would not be able to drink more later on. Letting her fall to the ground, he sped away.

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><p><strong>(Elena's Point of View)<strong>

I couldn't tell where I was at first when I cracked my eyes open. It was dark, plus the throbbing pain in my neck was keeping me from fully concentrating on my surroundings. Pulling myself into sitting position, I rubbed my neck, wincing at the jabbing pain. There were two punctures which immediately resulted in me fearing for the life of my child. What if the person drank too much? What if they killed my child?

The sudden question of who tried to kill me came into play, but the puzzle piece was soon put into place as the memories of what happened flooded in.

I clapped my hand over my mouth to keep from screaming, mumbling out, "Damon?"

After trying to piece everything together in my head, I got to my feet and rushed to my car. If Damon was not himself, then the whole town was in danger. When he is on a binge, it takes him more than just a few kills to bring himself back to his old self.

My head began to spin as I came upon a traffic light which was blinking yellow and about to turn red. The anger overcame me, pushing the pedal to the floor, for I had a destination in mind.

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><p>Elena stumbled out of the car, leaving the driver's door open. The blood was still freshly pouring from the punctures as she weakly pushed the front door agape. At the smell of pasta, she knew that Alaric would be in the kitchen, Jeremy somewhere in there as well. Mustering all of her hidden strength, she stumbled into the kitchen, using the walls for support.<p>

"Alaric." She choked out, coming into eye contact with the back of his head.

He kept stirring the pasta, "Hey! What are you do-" Alaric flipped his head towards her, finding her a complete mess. Dropping the spoon he was holding, he rushed to her side, picking her up to lay her on the couch.

Once he settled her in with a blanket, he frantically called out to Jeremy who was in his room, "Jeremy! Come here quick!"

Jeremy snapped his head towards the door, dropping his pencil onto the notepad and rushing down the stairs. And when he saw his sister, pale and nearly lifeless, the anger rose, "What happened?"

She bit her lip when Alaric saw the punctures, "I'm fine, really."

Alaric's eyes darkened, "Who did this?"

Jeremy's hands balled into fists, "Damon." Elena sadly nodded, looking towards her hands in her lap.

The room was utterly silent, everyone trying to wrap the idea of Damon hurting her around their heads. It was a tough situation, which needed to be immediately resolved.

Standing to his feet, Alaric wordlessly grabbed a black bag from the closet and stormed to his car where he pushed the pedal to the floor, knowing exactly where Damon was.

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><p>The forest was deadly silent, but Alaric knew that Damon was somewhere, a bottle of whiskey and another victim in his hands. Reaching into the bag, he pulled out something that would come in handy later on when he came face-to-face with the raven-haired monster who had harmed his 'child'.<p>

The leaves crunched beneath his feet when he reached the middle of the darkened forest. Looking around, he narrowed his eyes, "I know you're out here!"

The moments of silence were deadly until it was sliced in half by the breeze, "What do _you_ want?"

Alaric's eyes settled on Damon who was standing nearly forty feet in front of him. Raising the crossbow, he adjusted it to a comfortable position, "You hurt my girl." His finger quickly pushed on the trigger, sending the bow soaring towards him.

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><p><strong>AN: So how was the chapter? _Great, good, bad? _**

**Tell me how you liked the finale because I am dying to know. **

_**Click the button below that says, "Review this Chapter" and I'll write the next chapter to reveal what happens to Damon. Will he live or die?**_


	20. Keep Fighting

_Previously In Lover Come Back..._

_"Elena, is everything alright?" It must have been a savior sent from the Man upstairs, for when Elena turned her head towards the direction of the voice, Abby was standing before her, her eyes filled to the brim with worry._

_He felt the invisible string of self-control snap, turning his eyes raven black, his fangs began to protrude from his gums as he licked his lips wanting to taste the sweet nectar that he had not consumed in nearly a week._

_"Bonnie! Wake up!" Abby bellowed, cradling her daughter's head._

_Gasping for breath, Bonnie snapped her eyes open, revealing a world before her where her mother was sobbing, clutching her daughter as she thanked the witches, Bonnie shaking in her arms._

_Grinning maniacally, Damon bit into Elena's artery, resulting in her screaming into the night._

_Alaric's eyes settled on Damon who was standing nearly forty feet in front of him. Raising the crossbow, he adjusted it to a comfortable position, "You hurt my girl." His finger quickly pushed on the trigger, sending the bow soaring towards him._

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><p><strong>Chapter 20: Keep Fighting<strong>

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><p>The arrow came speeding towards him, leaving him a sliver of time to react. Narrowing his eyes, Damon sped to the side, watching as the arrow flew past and impaling itself into the trunk of a tree. He turned his head back to Alaric, who was panicking. He had all of hopes on that arrow puncturing at least his shoulder or arm, and now the arrow had utterly failed him.<p>

The determined expression he had placed upon his face was wiped clear away when he came into eye-contact with the raging monster before him. He could mentally see the bull kicking the dirt behind him, readying himself to come raging towards Alaric with all of his might, horns aiming towards his chest. Shutting his eyes, he readied himself for the worst possible scenario to unfold. Inhaling sharply, hands balling up into fists, he knew that there would be no running.

Damon watched in curiosity and amusement as Alaric shut his eyes, preparing himself for the worst. It seemed as if the arrow was a rude awakening from the evil that had possessed him. It was as if the string of self-control had mended itself, trying to piece together what happened while he momentarily 'lost his mind'. His arms laced together across his chest, waiting for him to open his eyes to see that the black had faded into the ice blue once more, the evil grin was replaced with the same cocky one as before.

"Well, Robin Hood, are you going to open your eyes anytime soon because I would like to go and see my wife now." He spoke out, jolting Alaric from his skin.

He shot his eyes open, seeing the person he had grown to befriend. He still kept his distance, in fear that this was some cruel illusion. Squinting his eyes, he answered, "You can't go anywhere near Elena."

Damon took a commanding step forward, demanding a reason as to why he could not see his wife, "And why the hell not?"

Alaric could see right through the mask that he had built over the years from the hurt, seeing the man who had poured his heart out to him when he was heavily intoxicated, "Damon," He walked up to him, resting his hand on his shoulder, "You hurt her."

Damon's eyes widened, "Oh God, what did I say to her?" He was immediately brought to the idea that she was leaving him for good this time, wanting nothing to do with him.

Alaric sadly gazed into his eyes, "It wasn't something you said, it was something you did," With a short intake of breath he choked out, "You forcefully fed from her."

His eyes widened upon hearing the words, the self-hatred grew immensely, "I fucking lost control, Ric. I hurt her, I fucking hurt her." He walked towards a tree where he drew back his fist and smashed it into the rough bark, eyes growing dark from the hatred he felt for himself. Sudden realization resulted in him stopping his hateful acts, and widening his eyes, "What if I hurt the baby?" He stepped towards Alaric, feeling nauseous all of a sudden. Gripping Alaric's shoulders, he spouted out, "I could never live with myself if I hurt him."

Alaric could feel the guilty feeling in the pit of his stomach, even though he did absolutely nothing wrong. He was just a godparent protecting his godchild. Damon was his, in a way, son-in-law, which meant that he was family. Family protects family; they don't hurt each other like he had so carelessly tried to do so.

Clearing his throat, Alaric said reassuringly, "The baby is safely nestled inside her womb, I bet he's fine," Seeing the worry still plastered to Damon's face, he went against his previous statement, "You can see her if you want to."

Damon's face brightened upon the prospect, "Yeah, I need to make sure she's alright."

* * *

><p>After stashing his crossbow into the trunk of the car, the two silently drove to the Gilbert residence, each of them covertly nervous about what they might discover once they reach the home.<p>

At the first sight of the maple tree in the front yard of the Gilbert home, Damon's eyes brightened, only to be dulled by the sudden thought that she might not want to see him ever again, meaning that she would keep their son from him. His head slumped down, eyes locked to the floor of the car as Alaric pulled into the driveway.

Unbuckling his seatbelt, he turned towards the raven-haired friend beside him. He waited countless moments for Damon to snap out of his momentary trance, but found that he seemed to be stuck in the small world he was treading in. Snapping his fingers in his face, Damon burst back into reality, quickly unbuckling his own seatbelt and opening the door directly after Alaric did so.

As they came upon the front door, Alaric turned to Damon to inform him, "You might not like what you see." Damon sadly nodded before watching him push the front door agape, revealing the entrance way to the Gilbert home.

Quietly, he stepped inside the threshold, the wave of blood hitting him in the face. If he hadn't resurrected his self-control, he would have snapped right then and there, possibly killing everyone that was in the surrounding perimeter. Alaric walked into the living room first, calling out, "Is everything okay?" He searched around the room just as Damon walked up to his side, finding the entire perimeter empty of life. The only sign that someone was once there was the pool of blood that had dripped down from the couch where Elena had been laying.

Damon glanced around, confused, "Where is she?"

Alaric shrugged his shoulder, completely muddled, "I have no idea."

* * *

><p>Jeremy warily glanced towards his unconscious sister, as if his stare would awaken her. As soon as Alaric left, and Elena had slipped into unconsciousness, he felt that Damon was still at large and still a threat to his sister as well as his nephew's lives.<p>

Picking her up from the couch, he brought her to his truck where he carefully placed her in the seat. After nearly half an hour of driving, he grew worried that Elena was not waking up. She would make small noises, resembling groans of either pain or weariness, but other than that, you could have guessed that she was dead.

He had no clue where he was driving, where he could possibly go, or how he could keep Damon from his sister, but one thing that Jeremy did know was that he would try his best to protect his sister, for she was there for him through his ups and downs of life.

Resting his hand on hers, he shivered from how cold she was, "I'm here for you."

Just as the words slipped from his lips, and he averted his gaze back to the road, he found himself slamming on the brakes, for there was a person standing directly in the middle of the road, a devious grin plastered to their lips.

The sudden halt jolted Elena awake; she looked around, trying to identify her surroundings.

She glanced towards Jeremy, "Where are we?"

He was frozen, for the person before the car was someone he had seen before, watching over the home a few nights before. Keeping his gaze locked on the man, he instructed, "Get down and stay in the car."

Elena's head tilted to the side, not knowing what he was talking about. Before she could get a word in, Jeremy opened the door, and locked the car, so she couldn't get out, no matter what.

He stopped walking just as he was a few feet away from the man, "Could you mind telling me who the fuck you are?" The anger was laced in his tone, fire spitting out with each word he spoke.

The man smiled, "Klaus Mikaelson, it's a pleasure to meet you." He stuck his hand out with a warm smile plastered to his lips.

Just when his eyes locked with Klaus', Jeremy seemed entranced by them. Sticking his hand out, Klaus shook it before smiling wickedly. Gripping his forearm, he threw Jeremy to the ground, knocking him unconscious as soon as he hit the concrete.

Elena's breathing became rapid when she couldn't hear her brother's voice anymore, only the clicking of boots against the concrete of the road. Before she had time to react, the door she was leaning against was ripped off, revealing a smirking Klaus.

"Ello, my dear. It's so nice to finally meet you."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **

**Not really feeling the inspiration. *sigh*  
><strong>

**Next Chapter (?)  
><strong>

**What wicked plans does Klaus have for Elena and her child?  
>Will Damon be able to save her in time with help from the gang?<strong>


	21. Archangels: Part I

_**Previously In Lover Come Back…**_

_Damon's eyes widened, "Oh God, what did I say to her?"_

_Alaric sadly gazed into his eyes, "It wasn't something you said, it was something you did," With a short intake of breath he choked out, "You forcefully fed from her."_

_He stopped walking just as he was a few feet away from the man, "Could you mind telling me who the fuck you are?" The anger was laced in his tone, fire spitting out with each word he spoke._

_The man smiled, "Klaus Mikaelson, it's a pleasure to meet you." He stuck his hand out with a warm smile plastered to his lips._

_"Ello, my dear. It's so nice to finally meet you."_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 21: Archangels (Part 1)<strong>

* * *

><p><em>Through the blackest night, morning gently tiptoes, feeling its way to dawn.<em>

The night was endless for her, curling up into a ball on the brick, cell floor, waiting for her saviors to come bounding in through the doors. But as the time ticked away, Elena was left, still lying on the floor, the tears nowhere to be found, for she had cried herself to the point where she could cry no more.

As the morning light shone through the cracks in the walls farthest from her body, she cracked her eyes open, hoping that she would be in her own home once more, but she was dearly disappointed by the same coldness of the bricks she laid upon. Her fingers wrapped tighter around the garments which were still blood-stained from Damon's forceful feeding upon her. The strangest feeling suddenly overcame her as she stared through one of the cracks in the wall closest to her head; it was a feeling of pure yearning for the unnaturally-cold hands to wrap around her shoulders and bring her in close to his chest, just so she could feel the comfort of being safe in someone's arms. In that instant, she missed the crude remarks she used to scold him for, she missed the crooked smirks, the raising of the raven eyebrows towards her. But what she missed the most was his hidden humanity that only she could unveil and present to the world.

It was the one thing that Elena did not understand; he was such a kind-hearted person, but he seemed afraid to show it to the world, as if he were a gifted child, afraid of being made fun of by his peers. And as she laid on the cold floor, she began to remember the times she had carelessly, and unknowingly emotionally wounded Damon, and the times she healed the wounds with her love.

Just as the memories were reaching a climax, the locked cell door creaked open, revealing a, obviously, compelled maid. Placed in her arms were articles of clothing, but only one of the pieces of clothing was for Elena. As quietly as she could, she rested the dress on the windowsill of the barred window, and left without a word spoken. For a moment, Elena was ultimately confused. He gave her clothing, yet lacked the option of physical comfort such as a bed, or, at the very least, a pillow. Drawing herself from the floor, she stumbled towards the windowsill, her legs very tired and mostly bruised from the indentations of the bricks. She ran her fingers across the fabric of the dress, finding it elegantly soft and silky. With curiosity in mind, Elena lifted the dress so it could be seen in the light from the window.

The gown was most definitely French with black silk dupioni. The sleeve ruffle was made of two layers of lace with delicate trim detailing, trim around the neck, sleeve edge and waistline, and the back of the gown had braided trim and a back closure of grommets. While it may have been a simple Renaissance dress design during that era, in modern times, it would be considered pure elegance. Her eyes widened at the beauty of the dress, but the sparkle in her eyes died when she realized the color of the dress mirrored that of her husband's favorite color. With a deep sigh, she looked down to her own clothing, wondering why he would want her in the ridiculous dress. She could see the blood stains smeared across her shirt as well as her pants.

_He must want to impress someone._

She shook the thought from her head before pulling her shirt and jeans off, leaving her to stand in her undergarments. When she began to struggle to put the dress over her head, the maid came rushing back in.

"Careful! Careful! That fabric is very rare, you mustn't do that," She pulled the dress off of Elena's head, then pointed to the grommets, "I must untie these first, then you step into the dress." As quickly as she could, the maid untied the grommets and opened the dress so Elena could step in. With slight confusion, Elena put her feet into the opening, letting the maid do the rest.

Pulling the dress up further, she slid Elena's arms into the sleeves, and then tied up the grommets once more before standing back to admire her work. She seemed awe-struck, "You look beautiful, milady." She did a curtsey before rushing out the door again before Elena had a chance to speak.

Looking at her reflection through the parts of the window that wasn't blocked by the bars, she seemed quite pleased with the dress. Immediately, she ran her hands across the sides of the dress, letting the silk massage her fingertips.

"You like the dress?" A wicked voice asked from the doorway. Elena whipped around in time to see the smirking figure of Klaus leaning against the doorframe.

She shook her head, even though she wanted to nod, before turning her gaze back to the window, carefully watching him through his reflection.

He clicked his tongue, "Well that's a shame because we have a few special guests coming over tonight. I do want them to adore you."

* * *

><p>Countless hours of searching the perimeters around Mystic Falls had lead Damon to nowhere. Jeremy and Elena were nowhere to be found no matter how hard he looked. He had passed a burnt car in a ditch, but after a search of the car, and finding no one, he shrugged it off.<p>

Just after searching the forest for the umpteenth time, the phone nestled in his leather jacket's pocket began to ring. He had high hopes of it being Elena or Jeremy calling to say that they were fine, but his hopes were trampled on when he picked up the phone.

"Hello?" He asked, his voice filled with eagerness.

The person on the other line cleared their throat, "Damon, we need you to come down to the police station," Sheriff Forbes looked towards the person sleeping in the chair before her, "And you may want to come quick."

Damon's eyes narrowed before he hung up the phone and sped off towards Mystic Falls. Upon reaching the police station, he was filled with dread of what he might find. Could Elena be dead? Or Jeremy?

Walking into the police station, he earned a few glares, stares, as well as a few winks from the female arrestees. Shaking his head in annoyance, he walked up to Sheriff Forbes' office door, rapping his knuckles against the wood.

Almost immediately, he was greeted by the grim frown plastered to Sheriff Forbes' face as she stepped aside to reveal a sound-asleep Jeremy, whose head was rested against her desk, drool dripping from the corner of his mouth. Damon tilted his head, "What is he doing here?" His feet ventured towards the teen, examining him closely for any wounds.

She took a seat in a chair before explaining, "I had two patrol officers who found him wandering the streets, not being able to remember the past hour. They brought him here and his memory has been slowly recapturing," She crinkled her nose at the sight of the drool on her desk, "And I told him to get some rest."

Damon nodded, soaking up the information. Shrugging his shoulders, he kicked the chair that Jeremy was resting in, jolting him awake.

"What?" He croaked, rubbing his eyes.

"We need to talk." Damon said with authority in his tone.

Jeremy sighed before sitting back into chair, "What do you want to know?"

Damon narrowed his eyes, giving him a look of 'you-know-exactly-what-I-want-to-know'. This made Jeremy straighten his back, "I was planning to take Elena away from this hell hole, and from your killing spree," He narrowed his eyes towards Damon, "But when I was driving, we were stopped by this man in the middle of the road. Dude, I am telling you, the guy was a major prick," Damon crossed his arms in front of his chest in annoyance, "And I got out to talk to him, but when I went to shake his hand, the guy threw me to the ground, knocking me out of conscious."

Damon chewed on the inside of his cheek before asking, "Did he mention a name?"

Jeremy thought for a moment, "Yeah, it was like Keith or something. Keith Michaels."

Damon's eyebrows rose, "You mean Klaus Mikaelson?"

Jeremy nodded, nearly jumping out of his seat, "That's the prick who kidnapped my sister!"

Sheriff Forbes' hand rose, silencing Jeremy from talking anymore, "I think you hit your head a little too hard, Jer. Klaus Mikaelson was staked many years ago according to my family's records."

Damon stepped forward, explaining, "Klaus faked his own death to wane off the police who were after him for multiple murders," The sheriff grew quiet, leaving Damon to ask, "Is that all that happened?"

Jeremy shook his head, "When I woke up, some of Klaus' guys had torched my car, leaving me in the middle of a barely-used road." Damon winced at the mention of the torched car, for he had walked where the scene had taken place.

* * *

><p>After the interrogation session, Damon walked outside with an asleep Jeremy slung over his shoulder. Speeding to the boarding house, he practically, yet playfully, threw Jeremy onto the couch before taking out his phone to text the gang.<p>

_NEED YOUR HELP IN RESCUING ELENA._

_MEET THE FOUNDERS' PARK ASAP._

Leaving Jeremy to get some rest, he hopped in his car and drove to the Founders' Park where he awaited the arrival of the group.

* * *

><p>Nearly thirty minutes after Klaus left to prepare himself for the day, two hybrids walked into the cell, roughly grabbing Elena by the forearms and dragging her up the stairs. She didn't even bother to scream or yell or kick, for she was far too tired and weak.<p>

The hybrids walked into a grand room with tons of open space except for a throne in the far middle where a grinning Klaus was sat. With a swat of his hand, the hybrids left, leaving Elena to stand in the doorway. Klaus eyed up her in the dress, loving how the fabric hugged her large baby bump.

He nearly scared her when he spoke out, "Once that bastard child is born, we shall kill it, then create our own children."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Well, the story is kind of dry since Elena is no longer a human on the show, and Alaric is dead, so you may see some references to previous seasons, just to let you know.**

**Next Chapter:**

**Will the gang be able to save Elena in time?**

**Near-death experiences and teamwork.**

**Orchestra concert tonight, so wish me luck!**


	22. Archangels: Part II

**Chapter 22: Archangels (Part 2)**

* * *

><p>Elena was frozen in shock, trying to understand his words. This plan of his simply did not make any sense, for she couldn't comprehend why he would want to kill her son after he is born. She shook her head violently, forcing her eyes shut. Klaus' hand gripped her chin, holding her head in place.<p>

"You shall do what you are told!" He bellowed, making her wince.

* * *

><p>The gathering in the park took merely minutes as they worked out a solid plan of rescuing Elena. Hopping into their cars, they all speedily drove to the Mikaelson mansion which was hidden away on the outskirts of town. Only a handful of people, mostly vampires, knew the location of the home, Tyler being one of those people.<p>

Damon's head peeked out from the secluded hill just beside the Mikaelson mansion, trying his hardest to count the hybrids who were keeping guard of the perimeter. He turned towards Tyler who was gazing through binoculars into the windows of the home, "One guarding the front, I'm guessing he's pretty strong, so we'll need both of our strength to take him down," He turned towards the rest of the group, softly whispering to one another, "There's at least seven hybrids inside, but wait until Tyler and I take out the hybrid in the front. We'll give you a signal when we are finished. Only a pair at a time will go down the hill, and then wait for the signal from the previous pair to go down." Everyone nodded in understanding.

Damon tapped Tyler's shoulder before the two inaudibly sped down the hill, swiftly attacking the hybrid who was keeping sentry over the front of the house. Tyler quickly kicked his leg from beneath himself, causing the hybrid to fall straight to the ground. Without a moment's hesitation, Damon punched his fist through the hybrid's back, drawing his hand out with a heart in his hand. Dropping the heart to the ground, he let Tyler drag the body to a bush which would hide the body perfectly. Balling his hand into a fist, he thrust his hand into the air, signaling the next pair to head down the hill.

Alaric saw the signal, but kept his eyes on Damon, sensing something strange. Before the pair near the Mikaelson home had time to react, a hybrid came speeding towards Damon, about to snap his neck. As fast as he could, Alaric grabbed his crossbow and pushed the trigger, sending the arrow straight into the hybrid's heart. The breath Damon was holding was soon released as he glanced up to Alaric appreciatively.

Alaric turned to Caroline and Bonnie, "You guys go first. Try going through the back." The two nodded before Caroline let Bonnie get on her back as so they could speed to the house. As soon as they reached the back door, Caroline silently listened for any being coming towards the back of the house. She held up one finger towards Bonnie, signaling that there was only one hybrid she could hear near the back of the house. Bonnie noiselessly opened the door, letting Caroline go first.

"He's right there." Bonnie whispered, pointing towards the shadow of a figure. Caroline's eyes narrowed as she sped towards the hybrid, quickly tearing its heart out. His knees gave out, leaving Bonnie to catch him so he did not make any loud noises to alert Klaus that there were intruders in his home. With the help of Caroline, the two pushed his body into a pantry before tip-toeing towards a window where they could see the hill. Grabbing her flashlight, Bonnie flashed it six times, letting Alaric know that the next pair could come down.

Matt had already left the hill minutes before anyone had seen the flashes of Bonnie's flashlight. He had previously decided on slipping in through one of the basement windows, but soon found that they led to a small cell which he would be locked inside of. Quietly, he walked around the perimeter until he could see a large vine that lead up to an agape window. Inhaling deeply, he placed his feet in the openings of the holes on the vine and began climbing up. Just as he reached a locked, second floor window, two hybrids walked by. Panicking, he crouched down so he was below the window and out of sight.

"Did you see that?"

"See what?"

There was a moment of hesitation as the hybrid stepped towards the window, looking down, but finding nothing, "Never mind." The two continued walking as Matt breathed a sigh of relief, and continued climbing up the vine.

He had finally reached the agape window, and began pulling it open. He was just about to slip inside when a voice from below whispered up to him, "Matt." He looked down, seeing a familiar face climbing up the vine, a crossbow slung over his shoulder.

"Jeremy? What are you doing here?" He whispered back, looking towards the open window to make sure no one was coming.

"This is my sister we're rescuing here. I mean, come on, you don't honestly expect me to just stay at home and wait." Jeremy frowned before pointing towards the window, silently telling him to go inside. Matt slipped inside the window, holding it open for Jeremy to come. Once Jeremy pulled his second leg in, they searched the rooms, finding, surprisingly, no hybrids in sight. They walked towards a window that was overlooking the hill and gave a thumbs-up to Alaric.

* * *

><p>Klaus patted his lap, a dangerous gleam in his eye, "Come here, Elena, sit on my lap."<p>

Her eyes snapped open, wanting to make sure he wasn't testing her. She hesitated, one foot in front of the other, before slowly walking towards the throne and sitting on his lap.

"Smart choice, my love," He whispered into her ear as he brushed his finger across her cheek, "Now let's talk about our future together." Picking up her left hand, Klaus pulled her wedding ring off, slipping it into his right jacket pocket.

* * *

><p>Alaric had caught up to Damon and Tyler who were looking around for open windows, "Where would Klaus most likely be?" He whispered, trying to think as well.<p>

Tyler thought for a moment, "He has this very private room, not even his hybrids are allowed in there unless he has them bring him something," He glanced down the side of the large home, "It's down there, but it only has one window to the room."

Quickly, the trio ran down to where Tyler had pointed, finding only one window high above. Sighing, Damon glanced over his shoulder, knowing that Tyler was the shorter one of all of them. Crouching down, he let Tyler climb onto his shoulders, so he could get a good glimpse into the room.

Tyler gripped the ledge of the window, pulling himself further up. Immediately, he gasped when he saw Klaus and Elena. "I see them." He whispered so only Damon could hear him. Alaric stood back, straining his ears to listen carefully.

Damon pushed up, letting Tyler push the window open. Klaus continued talking, too lost in his fantasy world of his planned future to even notice the three of them slip in through the window directly behind him.

Seeing Elena on Klaus' lap, Damon became infuriated, seeing nothing, but red. He sped towards the chair, and, without thinking, tore Elena from his lap, threw her to the ground, and picked Klaus up by his neck. The rest of the gang had assembled outside the room, quickly found the location and came bounding in, finding Damon gripping Klaus by the neck and Elena on the floor, whimpering as she clutched her stomach.

Klaus began to laugh maniacally, "You fool, you can't kill me. Only one weapon can."

Alaric stepped forward, his crossbow raised, "There's one tree that can kill you, the white oak," He glanced down to his crossbow, "This arrow," His finger tapped on the arrow, "is made of the white oak tree." Klaus' eyes widened slightly as he took a few steps back, only to be stopped by the group who had entered the room. Tyler sped behind him, holding his arms back as he thrashed around, trying his hardest to be released.

"Release me!" He bellowed, eyes darkening. Tyler's grip increased, nearly crushing Klaus' arms.

Alaric set the crossbow, aiming towards Klaus, "See you in hell." His finger pushed the trigger, sending the arrow straight into Klaus' heart before Tyler let him fall to the floor.

* * *

><p>Minutes before killing Klaus, Elena had slipped out, whimpering from the impact of hitting the floor when Damon threw her off of Klaus' lap. She worried that she had landed on her stomach, for that was where the pain was coming from. She had made her way towards the living room when she suddenly collapsed.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **DO NOT WORRY: No One Is Going To Die Due To Klaus' Death!  
><strong>

**Next Chapter:  
><strong>

**All I can say is things get..interesting,  
><strong>

***Elena is about seven months pregnant right now, in case any of you were wondering. **


	23. This Woman's Work

**A/N: So sorry for such the long wait! I hope this is worth all the downtime.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 23: This Woman's Work<strong>

* * *

><p>Elena knew she couldn't, she wouldn't, call out for help. Nothing could be wrong, she kept telling herself repeatedly in her mind. In fact, it was just the opposite. Her uterine had begun to have contractions, resulting in her cervix to open earlier. The pain came in jabs, leaving her to stand, but stumble towards the door, where she gripped the handle for support.<p>

It was at this time that she knew that something was definitely wrong.

_No, I can't be. I can't be going into labor._

"It's too early." She choked out, gripping the handle harder as another jab erupted from her stomach. No book could prepare a mother-to-be for the excruciating pain of labor. Biting her bottom lip from screaming out, Elena tried her hardest to open the door, pulling it open by mere inches before a black combat boot pushed it shut. The breath was caught in her throat when she saw the boot directly in her path to savior.

To Damon, she looked like she was trying to escape, crouching down by a bit so no one could see her. It wasn't until the doe brown eyes, pooling with tears stared coldly into his blue ocean. The stab of guilt rushed through him seeing the terrified expression on her face. Before he could reach out to her or even get a word passed his lips, she drew her chest nearly down to her stomach, emitting a muffled, high-pitch scream. It lasted nearly four minutes, Damon standing in front of her, dumbfounded. Reality had finally settled in, the terrifying fact that he was about to become a father struck down on him. Panicking, he sped to his car near the hill and turned the key, letting the engine roar to life before he raced off.

When the contraction grew softer, she glanced up to where Damon had been standing moments ago, only to find an empty spot. Her eyes grew wide as they flooded with tears which spilled onto her cheeks. Once another contraction hit, she called out, "He-lp!" The word was cut into two syllables as the contraction grew to be too much for her. Just as Elena was about to give up and fall to the wooden floor, someone picked her up.

It wasn't a vampire, for they all had gone out to hide Klaus' body, Matt along with them out of curiosity. And Bonnie was preparing a spell to disconnect the bloodline from all of her vampire friends and Klaus, for she couldn't lose all of her close companions. Elena opened her eyes to see the same doe brown eyes as hers, "Jeremy," She choked out, "It h-hurts badly."

Jeremy had picked her up bridal style carefully, and with the help of Alaric, he rushed her to his truck up by the hill. He bit his bottom lip momentarily, "I know, Lena, but in the end, this will all be worth it."

She nodded her head before another contraction hit, making her forcefully shut her eyes and her entire body tense. As gently as they could, Alaric and Jeremy laid Elena on the backseat of the truck before driving to the nearest hospital.

* * *

><p>He had waited, waited for his sanity to come back to him as he sat in his car which was halted in the middle of the forest. How he got there in the first place, he did not remember. It was as if the idea of suddenly being propelled into fatherhood this early was unbearable. He had thought that he would have nine months to prepare for this, but instead, he only had a diminutive seven months.<p>

The questions and worries racing through his mind, making his chest heave up and down were left unanswered and unresolved. Everything in that moment was a hectic race for answers that he needed just then.

Turning the key, he hesitantly started the car before speeding out of the forest and onto the main road.

* * *

><p>"I need to push, I need to push." Elena hissed, nearly crushing Jeremy's hand. The hospital room was filled with anxiety, as the waiting area of the hospital was packed with equally-worried friends.<p>

Jeremy's eyes widened, "Not yet, Elena."

Jeremy shook his head towards Alaric who was still trying to contact Damon. After he got the voicemail for the umpteenth time, Alaric slammed the phone onto the table, cursing under his breath, "Can't even pick up his fucking phone," He glanced up towards Elena, seeing her in pain before looking back to Jeremy's car keys, "Fuck it." Grabbing the keys, he rushed out of the room without giving Jeremy time to ask him where he was off to.

Alaric knew exactly where he was driving to, he would go there if he was in Damon's position. Pulling the door open, the familiar sounds of the clinking of silverware, the friendly chatter, and the consuming of food filled his ears. He surveyed the room for the black haired man-of-the-hour before his eyes were met with the back of his leather jacket. Not surprisingly, he was sitting at the bar, a glass of strong bourbon in his shaky hand.

Just as he put the glass to his lips, it was pulled from his grip. With anger set in his eyes, he locked gazes with the thief, "What the hell do you think you're doing?" He tried to whip the glass back, but Alaric placed it on one of the passing-by waitress' tray.

His stare was cold as he looked into Damon's eyes, "What the fuck are you doing here?"

Damon shrugged his shoulders, placing his chin in his hands, "I'm living my life."

Alaric sighed heavily, taking a seat next to him, "Well there's another important life about to be welcomed into this world," Damon's eyes softened, "And you're going to fucking miss it if you don't get your ass there now." He smacked the back of Damon's head before rushing back to the truck, hoping that Damon would follow.

* * *

><p>The nurse smiled towards Elena as she glanced under the sheet, "You're almost ready," She glanced towards Jeremy who was still gripping her hand, fear evident in his eyes, "Is this the father?"<p>

Elena and Jeremy both snapped their heads up, "No."

The nurse's lips were in an 'o', awkwardly looking around before she asked, "Will the father be coming soon?"

Jeremy gave an icy glare towards her, resulting in the nurse to rush out of the room just before Elena started sobbing, "I want this baby out of me!"

Jeremy winced as the pressure on his hands grew, feeling his bones cracking. Just as he was about to pull away, Doctor Alsvik came walking in through the threshold, a clipboard in his hands. Without a word spoken, he checked under the sheets before announcing in a thick, Swedish accent, "Baby is ready to be born."

Elena looked warily at the doctor, not sure if she should trust him with her baby's life.

* * *

><p>It was the second red light that they had run, and so far, no cops had been chasing after them. The speedometer was reading eighty miles per hour, and Alaric's foot could have been nearly pushing straight through the floor.<p>

"Come on, come on." Alaric muttered, leaning forward as if it would help the car to go any faster. Damon was constantly wiping his forehead from the beads of sweat that was building up.

Moments later, the speedy dash was interrupted by the roar of a siren directly from behind their truck. Alaric sighed in frustration, Damon let out a breath of relief. He slowed the truck down, slowly pulling it to the side of the road.

Damon unbuckled his seat belt, only to be stopped by Alaric who was looking in the rearview mirror, "Keep it on." Damon tilted his head, confused beyond belief. Alaric watched as the police officer was about to step out of his car. Once his boots touched the ground, Alaric put the car into fourth gear before slamming the accelerator to the floor. The police officer watched helplessly as the car sped off, the fourth one to do so that day. With a long sigh, he got into his police car and drove back to where he was originally.

* * *

><p>Her cheeks stung from the tears that were cascading down, her eyes burned, her chest was heaving up and down, and her stomach felt as if it might just explode. Elena never expected labor to be this..horrific. She was constantly told by her obstetrician that birth was the most magical moment in your life.<p>

"Lying bitch." Elena hissed, using every excuse to curse off anyone who she currently had a reason to mouth off. The pain grew immeasurably so, and Jeremy was asked to leave, leaving her alone. There was no warmth radiating from her hand by the person who was gripping hers. She was afraid that if that certain person showed his face around there, he would lose control again. To tell the truth, she was frightened of him.

Doctor Alsvik clapped his hands, jolting her up an inch, "We shall begin." The nurses glanced towards Elena apologetically.

One nurse had even previously whispered to Elena, "It's a full moon, all the doctors are delivering babies, and Doctor Alsvik was the only one available."

Breathing sharply, she tried her hardest to find a focal point, but soon realized that there was nothing to focus on, just a bland wall was before her sight. She forced her eyes shut, not wanting to open them as the doctor began instructing the nurses on what to get him.

"Breech baby!" The doctor called out, immediately alarming Elena.

Doctor Alsvik glanced up towards Elena, the mask covering his mouth, "Elena, we'll need to do a Caesarean section."

His words were not computing her mind until she weakly muttered out, "No. No."

The room grew silent except for Elena's groans of pain. Doctor Alsvik cleared his throat, "You do realize the risks, correct?"

Elena nodded, keeping her eyes shut.

* * *

><p>Damon rushed into the East wing, following the direction that Alaric had pointed. There was a part of him that was making his legs run; the other part of him was wanting to just run away from all of this. He reached the door to the delivery room where he hesitated, his palm flat against the metal. He weighed his options heavily in his head as he glanced in through the glass, immediately alarmed by the amount of blood pooling at the floor.<p>

Without another moment's hesitation, he rushed inside, finding a pale Elena, her eyes shut as she continued pushing. Damon was taken aback for a minute by the scene before him.

His hand glided into her hers as he rested his forehead against the side of her head, his fingers wrapping tightly around hers for support. She snapped her eyes open, fear setting in, "Get away!" She continued pushing.

Doctor Alsvik's face dropped when he saw that what he believed was true; the baby's legs were coming out first, "The feet are partially out!"

Damon shushed her, not wanting to get kicked out, "I'm so sorry, Elena. I'm so sorry." He caressed circles into the palm of her hand with his thumb, reassuring her that he was truly sorry.

"One more push and baby will be here." Doctor Alsvik instructed.

Damon looked down towards the doctor, reality finally settling in for him. Elena scrunched her nose up, trying to muster all of her strength as she let out a shattering scream, pushing with all of her might. Her body shook before the doctor began announcing, "It's a boy!"

Damon's eyes widened, his vision slightly blurring from the tears that were pooling at the base of his eyes. The nurse cleaned out the baby's mouth, allowing him to scream. It was the most beautiful noise Damon had heard, the sound of life that he had helped create.

The nurse smiled towards Damon, signaling for him to hold the small child. Damon glanced down towards Elena, who was warily looking back. She knew that she couldn't keep him from his son, so she nodded. He smiled as the nurse placed the baby into his folded arms.

Damon had always thought that he could never be fatherly-material, until that moment when it felt so right to be holding his newborn son in his arms. Any doubts that he had of being the father of this small wonder were shredded into millions of tiny pieces. The raven black hair was the same shade as his, and as the infant cracked his eyes open, Damon smiled, for the infant had the same ocean blue shade as him.

All the worry that was building up inside of Elena was immediately relaxed, for she knew by the sight before her that he would never harm them again. When Damon locked eyes with her, he said the three words that made her certain of their future, "I love you."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: The end?**

**Much thanks to everyone who has reviewed this story and has given me the inspiration to keep writing!**

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	24. Epilogue

**Lover Come Back:**

**The Epilogue**

* * *

><p><em>Dear Diary, <em>

_I feel as if I have neglected you, and for that, I am sorry. It's been almost a year since I gave birth to the beautiful baby boy I had always dreamed of, the little boy who was nestled inside me for months. The little boy who we named Aiden Deangelo Salvatore, his middle name being chosen by Damon, of course, means 'from the angel'. _

_Damon and I have had our tough journeys up the mountain of marriage and parenthood, even having to kick him out to knock some sense into him. Hmm, that was the day I most enjoyed, getting to spend the entire evening with my baby, cuddling up on the couch, watching shows that Damon hated like Barney and Blues Clues. Turns out Aiden has the same likes as me, with the exception of pickles. I guess it's from eating all those pickles during my pregnancy. Damn cravings!_

_The cake is prepared, the balloons are filled, and the table is set. I still can't believe that my little Aiden, blue eyes and raven locks, is turning one. It brings back the sweet memories of when Damon first held him, Aiden looking miniscule in his toned arms. Since he was born, Aiden was an early bird; walking at seven months, Aiden kept us on our toes, especially Damon who was constantly right behind Aiden, ready to catch him for when he fell. When Aiden took his first wobbly steps, Damon was paranoid, while I took pictures of Damon's ridiculous, yet funny faces. And when he began to walk on his own, Damon was at ease, even following Aiden around with a glass of bourbon in hand. He was quite the trickster though, letting Aiden walk into the kitchen by himself, and up to me with a sealed beer bottle in hand, a smug smirk on his face. And when he opened his mouth and said, "Dada," Damon came running into the room. It was his first word, which Damon eventually began rubbing in my face. _

_The tenth of August will always be a special day for me. It is my baby's birthday, and I always want to make it special for him. The whole gang should be arriving soon, so I guess until I write again,_

_ Peace out,_

_ Elena_

She placed the pen on the paper, smiling in content with the entry. It was a bit longer than she had anticipated, but still loved it altogether.  
>"Oh, Mommy! The birthday boy seems to want you." A voice called from the nursery just down the hall. With a sigh of pure happiness, Elena slid off the bed, placing the diary on the desk before walking down the hall. The pads of her feet made small thuds before she reached the nursery, leaning against the doorway at the sight before her.<p>

She had to bite her lip from bursting out in laughter. Damon was standing a good twenty feet away from the crib, his eyes narrowed at Aiden who was glaring right back. Somehow, Aiden had managed to pull his pajama bottoms off and tug them onto the top of his head, but Damon had pulled them off, resulting in his hair to be in all directions. Elena believed it to be a heartwarming sight, for they looked like doppelgangers, Damon's hair a mess from waking up was parallel to Aiden's hair, as well as the humorous faces they had on as they glared at each other.

"How could you get a one-year-old to dislike you already?" She sarcastically asked while she gently picked up Aiden, watching as he continued to glare towards Damon.

Damon narrowed his eyes further, "He's not just any one-year-old," Elena tilted her head, "He's _my_ one-year-old, and that means he's just like me," Elena chuckled, shaking her head, "And that's creepy."

She sighed before dressing Aiden, all the while singing, "Aiden, my little Aiden. Sent from the heavens,"

Damon cut in, inserting jokingly, "Or maybe even hell."

She shook her head, before humming the rest of the tune, making Aiden give a crooked smirk.

* * *

><p>"Picture time!" Alaric called out, gesturing for Damon and Elena to gather around Aiden, strapped in the highchair with chocolate icing smeared across his face. Damon had spiked Aiden's hair directly after doing so to his own locks.<p>

Damon wrapped an arm around Elena as they knelt down, smiling wide for the photo as Aiden flashed his own rare smile.

_Click!_

* * *

><p>Her fingertips grazed against the photo, dust collecting on the tips of her fingers. Her eyes would always begin to water at the sight of the photo, remembering the good times she could still remember today. While the few wrinkles she had were evident, Elena looked as young as ever, never aging a day since that fateful day.<p>

The seventy-year-old woman at heart, twenty-four -years-old in appearance. Before she could continue down the line of photographs, there was a loud thud of the door, indicating the arrival of guests.

"We're here!" She loved hearing the sound of his voice after being gone for so long.

Rushing to the entrance of the home, she found the two favorite people waiting for her there, seeing the uncanny similarities.

"Mom!" A fully-grown Aiden wrapped his arms around Elena, pulling her in for a hug. He had grown to be his father's height, the same, piercing blue eyes, finely-curved lips, pale skin, toned muscles, raven locks, dark, thick eyebrows, all just like his father. The only thing he had gained from his mother was her passion for helping others. Of course, he had most of his father's personality, a slight womanizing problem.

When Aiden pulled away, Damon leaned in and kissed his wife on the cheek, sending shivers down her spine. Even after years of marriage, he could still make her feel things that Elena felt when she was just a teenager, meeting her boyfriend's brother for the first time as he kissed her hand. This resulted in him having a smug smirk on his lips, which Elena rolled her eyes to.

Aiden impatiently waited, tapping his foot, "So…" He trailed off, letting them know he was still there.

Damon cleared his throat, "How's the world treating you?"

Aiden smirked, hearing the hidden message. It seemed that Damon and him had a secret language only they could understand, "Just fine." He waggled his eyebrows. Damon chuckled before wrapping his arm around Aiden's shoulders and leading him into the parlor for a drink.

Elena shook her head in amusement before walking towards the kitchen. As she reached the threshold, she stopped dead in her tracks when she heard a thud from upstairs. Curious, she cautiously wandered upstairs, trying to locate the direction from which the thud came from. Following this path, she was led to the doorway to the attic.

Her head tilted to the side before pushing the door open and walking up the small staircase into the loft. When she reached the landing, her eyes skimmed the room, finding few boxes, trinkets, books, and a… what was that?

Elena stepped closer towards the object which had quite clearly fallen off of the shelf. Immediately after seeing what it was, her eyes widened.

"My diary." She whispered, overwhelming feelings overcoming her. She glanced up to the shelf, finding the entire ledge filled with her diaries dating back to when she was ten. Her eyes filled up with tears as she grazed her fingers against the spines of each diary, going down the row. The diaries stopped with the one in her hand, its last entry being when Aiden turned one.

How the memories came flooding in…

**LA FIN**


	25. Author's Note

**Author's Note**

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed this entire story!**

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><strong>

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